Integrating Nanotechnology into Australian Pavement Design: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract: Given Australia's extensive road network and diverse climatic conditions, integrating nanotechnology into pavement design offers a transformative opportunity to enhance the durability, sustainability, and performance of road infrastructure. The high specific surface area of nanomaterials enhances asphalt binder coating, optimizes rheological properties, increases rutting resistance, and improves the resilient modulus, ultimately extending pavement life. However, several challenges must be addressed for successful implementation. Despite the high cost of nanomaterials, Australia has access to innovative options, including carbon nanotubes, nano-silica, and nano-clay.
This paper investigates seven types of nanomaterials, examining their production methods, benefits, applications, and limitations based on existing literature. It also explores the benefits of incorporating nanomaterials such as nano-clay, carbon nanotubes, nano-silica, nano-titanium dioxide, nano-zinc oxide, graphene oxide, and carbon nano-fibers into asphalt mixtures to improve mechanical properties and moisture resistance under varying loading conditions. The review is divided into three segments: the first discusses the necessity and characteristics of nanomaterials; the second focuses on operational aspects, including mixing, dispersion, temperature and storage stability; and the third emphasizes performance-based parameters such as aging resistivity, moisture damage resistivity, and temperature performance. The findings indicate that the addition of nanomaterials significantly enhances the aging and moisture damage resistivity of asphalt binders and mixes, improving overall performance across a range of temperatures. Challenges and limitations discussed include economic, availability, production, and blending problems, some of which are due to the lack of research on the topic. Based on the review of previous studies, research gaps in the present state of knowledge have been identified and certain recommendations are given for future investigations.