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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Underseals</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2703789</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Underseals, often referred to as Texas underseals because of their origin there, are being used in other regions, including Minnesota. However, their use has been limited and relatively undocumented. A few agencies in Minnesota, such as Hennepin County, City of Eden Prairie, and City of Lakeville, have implemented underseals on select projects.

The objective of this project was to survey Minnesota and neighboring state agencies - using Minnesota Department of Transportation's (MnDOT’s) National Road Research Alliance network to develop a database of bituminous underseal projects. The study aimed to synthesize information on usage, cost, timing, benefits, drawbacks, and performance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 15:44:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2703789</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Rheological Characteristics of Waste Engine Oil-Modified Bituminous Binder</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2579857</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Bituminous binders encounter different distress during the life cycle of flexible pavement construction. Fatigue cracking and rut resistance are the most important characteristics of the binder. Addition of environmental-friendly modifiers/additives into the binder improves the rheological properties of bituminous binders. In this study, the effect of waste engine oil (WEO) on rheological characteristics of plain bitumen (VG30) as an additive was assessed through laboratory investigations. Also rutting and fatigue performance characteristics of the modified bitumen were investigated using Dynamic Shear Rheometer. From the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery test, the percentage recovery and Non-recovery creep compliance at different dosages of additive were evaluated. Linear Amplitude Sweep to determine G∗/sinδ and G∗sinδ indices for the bio-additive modified bitumen containing different percentages of WEO. The chemical properties of waste engine oil were identified by conducting Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy. Overall it was found that WEO can be used as a softening agent to the aged bituminous binder.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:55:33 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2579857</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Multi-Length-Scale Investigation of the Fatigue Behavior of Bituminous Composites: Numerical Approach</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2652059</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Following a comprehensive series of fatigue experiments on asphalt mixture and its subscales (mortar, mastic, and bitumen), this study utilized a 3D heterogeneous finite-element model including inclusions, matrix, and air voids to simulate bituminous composite fatigue behavior. Randomly generated particles with elastic behavior and a linear viscoelastic matrix were employed in ABAQUS. Identical shear and tension-compression loading conditions were applied to bitumen-mastic and mortar-mixture models. The damage tensor, derived from experimental fatigue equations, was generated to run models at different loading cycles. Global damage (DG) for the upper scale was computed based on the local damage of lower-scale. DG-loading cycle diagrams were generated for damage thresholds of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7. The fatigue life of each model was determined using experimental criteria. Simulation results revealed a maximum error of 30.8%, highlighting the significant computational time reduction in this multilength-scale modeling approach. The approach allows for determining each scale’s contribution to upper-scale damage evolution, inaccessible in the laboratory. The criteria of maximum C×N curve and FN, detailed in the companion paper (I), serve as suitable indicators for fatigue life. Both 2D optical microscopic images and numerical simulations suggest mortar as the most appropriate scale for fatigue investigation of the mixture.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:58:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2652059</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Impact of Asphalt Binder Grades on PMED Software Predicted Distresses in New Flexible Pavements</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672512</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design (PMED) software is a comprehensive design and analysis tool, which can predict different types of distresses in pavements for various design inputs. Asphalt binder grades or properties is one of the key inputs into software for the design and analysis of flexible pavements. The TAC ME Pavement Design Subcommittee conducted several design trials to evaluate the impact of nine different asphalt binder grades (PG 52 to PG 70 and PG-28 to PG-40) on the predicted distresses in 11 different climatic areas across Canada. The aim of these design trials was to assess the impacts of varied asphalt binder performance grade (PG) on the predicted distresses including their trends and practical significance.  The analyses of trial results indicated that softer binders in terms of reduced low temperature grades, reduce the predicted thermal cracking (TC) in some climatic areas. Increased high temperature grades, with no change in low temperature grade, generally result in reduction of thermal cracks, which seem to be unreasonable. The predicted rut depths in asphalt concrete (AC) layer increase with reduced low temperature grades and reduce with increased high temperature grades, as expected. The predicted bottom-up fatigue cracking (BUFC) and top-down fatigue cracking (TDFC) increase with reduced low temperature grades, and they also reduce with increased high temperature grades, which are unexpected. Some inconsistencies in predicted distresses among the climatic areas were also observed. The mean or maximum air temperatures are statistically significant variables for BUFC and TDFC with logical trends. However, the sensitivity of climatic conditions on the predicted TDFC was low. The PMED software predicted surface smoothness, in terms of international roughness index (IRI), mostly depended on the predicted rutting and cracking. This paper presents the details of these trial results, analyses and findings.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:52:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2672512</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of different biomass conversion methods to bio-oil for partial replacement of petroleum bitumen: analysis of effects and implications</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643542</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The reliance on fossil fuels for asphalt binders raises significant environmental concerns, emphasizing the need for sustainable alternatives. This study explores bio-oil derived from spent coffee grounds (SCG) as a replacement for petroleum-based asphalt. Two extraction methods, pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), were compared to assess their efficiency in producing bio-oils suitable for bituminous applications. By optimizing laboratory conditions, the rheological and chemical properties of bio-bitumen were evaluated, focusing on functional groups responsible for adhesive strength and durability. Results indicate that both methods enhance bitumen durability and functionality while promoting sustainable waste management. Pyrolysis-derived bio-oil (SCP) improved low-temperature flexibility and thermal cracking resistance, making it ideal for cold climates. In contrast, HTL-derived bio-oil (SCH) exhibited greater thermal stability, stiffness, and resistance to high-temperature deformation, suitable for warm climates and heavy traffic. SCH also showed superior chemical compatibility with bitumen due to its increased polarity and hydrogen bonding capacity. SCP, with lower polarity and moderate hydrogen bonding, demonstrated better fatigue resistance under dynamic loading. These findings highlight the potential of bio-oils as sustainable modifiers, tailored to meet diverse environmental and mechanical demands of modern asphalt pavements.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:12:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2643542</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Relating Binder Parameters to Asphalt Mixture Cracking Tests in the Laboratory</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2635619</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since the inception of the Performance-Graded (PG) asphalt binder specification, G*sin delta has been used as an intermediate temperature parameter intended to be related to fatigue cracking distress. Cracking can be load related and non-load related, so it is important to understand how asphalt binder properties can relate to both types of cracking distress in mixtures. Although G*sin delta seems to have value when characterizing the stiffness of an aged binder, it mostly misses the relaxation component important to asphalt binders as they age and become more brittle. To address this, an experiment was designed with the hypothesis that mixtures made with asphalt binder having worse relaxation properties will have poorer laboratory cracking performance when tested at an equistiffness temperature than mixtures made with asphalt binder having better relaxation properties. Mixture specimens were tested to evaluate stiffness and cracking performance. Results from the cracking tests were related to current and proposed parameters for use in the PG asphalt binder specification. Findings from the experiment indicate that cracking is not easily defined by one test or test condition. When temperature is removed as a factor, the IDEAL-CT test appears to capture relaxation as indicated by asphalt binder properties.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:16:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2635619</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhanced Acceptance Testing of Recovered Asphalt Binder for the Betterment of the Road Building Industry</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2619130</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Sensitive and reproducible tests for measuring rheological and failure parameters of asphalt binders are indispensable for selecting superior performing materials in road construction, ultimately securing a high level of sustainability. Two remarkably successful approaches involve the use of the Double-Edge-Notched Tension (DENT) and the Extended Bending beam Rheometer (EBBR) test methods to measure material properties that are influenced by flow characteristics. In Ontario, binders are evaluated based on their Limiting Low Temperature Performance Grade (LLTPG) and grade loss from the EBBR test, as well as their critical Crack Tip Opening Displacement (CTOD) determined by using the DENT test. Although the implementation of these tests has doubled and tripled projected service lives. for newly constructed pavements, they require a significant amount of extracted and recovered binder and take considerable time and effort to complete. Therefore, this study explores the potential of more practical methods using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). Results show that limiting phase angle temperatures, T (30deg) and T (45deg), and their difference, DeltaT(cdelta), can be used as alternatives to EBBR and DENT properties. correlations with field performance are expected to improve when binders are properly conditioned prior to testing to account for both structural equilibration and oil exudation phenomena.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:16:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2619130</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluation of Asphalt Binder Aging Resistance through Asphaltenes Modification</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2619129</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The aging process of asphalt binders is a complex phenomenon that can alter binder properties, reducing the durability and performance of asphalt pavements over time. This study investigated the potential use of asphaltenes, a by-product derived from Alberta oil sands bitumen, as a modifier in enhancing the aging resistance of asphalt binders.  This research comprehensively investigated the aging resistance of asphalt binders modified with an optimal concentration of 12 percent asphaltenes (by weight of binder). The binders underwent Frequency Sweep (FS) tests at varying temperatures and frequencies, with complex shear modulus and phase angle master curves developed using the time-temperature superposition principle, followed by the calculation of aging indices. The results demonstrated significant improvements in stiffness, with complex shear modulus increasing by 497 to 546 percent, and enhanced rutting parameter values up to seven times higher at 0.1 rad/s after asphaltenes modification. Furthermore, the aging resistance of the modified binders improved, with short-term aged Complex shear modulus Aging Index (CAI) values reduced by 20 to 23 percent and long-term aged CAI values by 44to 48 percent as compared to neat binders. These findings contribute to the growing knowledge of asphalt binder modification, aiming to improve pavement durability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:16:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2619129</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Proceedings of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association (CTAA): Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2617194</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This year’s conference in Edmonton, AB was one for the books. With over 281 attendees, 20 technical papers and unforgettable networking opportunities, the energy was unmatched. Key Highlights: *Sunday morning's pre-conference technical course was sold out! 107 tickets sold for the pre-conference Technical Session on Sunday morning *We celebrated 30 years of CUPGA with focused discussions on quality and sustainability *The student poster session featured 14 posters from University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Northern British Columbia and École de Technologie Supérieure]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:16:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2617194</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Early-Age Stiffening of Cold Recycled Bituminous Materials Using Shear Wave Velocity</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2606391</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The characterization of cold recycled bituminous materials (CRMs) at a very young age, shortly after compaction, is inherently challenging due to the nature of the material. The granular aspect of CRM at this stage and its high-water content render the use of conventional mechanical techniques impractical. Following previous work, the use of a nondestructive technique based on the frequency analysis of mechanical elastic shear waves, piezoelectric ring actuator technique (P-RAT), has enabled assessment of the behavior of cold in-place recycled material treated with bitumen emulsion from 10 min after compaction to 30 days of curing. Emphasis on shear wave velocity (Vs) measurements during the early age confirmed the rapid stiffening of the mix along with the departure of water present in the mix. A 6 °C drop of the surface temperature is observed along with this rapid increase of Vs and water loss. The initial and final Vs values range from 287 to 330 m s-1 and from 461 to 578 m s-1, respectively. To assess the capabilities of P-RAT, specimens with different void contents were tested, mainly 12, 15, and 17 %. It was observed that in each tested specimens, a similar behavior was exhibited during the first few hours of curing. Based on these observations, hypotheses are put forth regarding the phenomena governing the increase in stiffness during this period. Finally, the influence of the compaction of the specimens on the Vs values is consistent and comparable with the information available in the literature for such CRM.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:43:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2606391</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Model dimensional scale effects on molecular dynamics simulations of bituminous materials</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2595385</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Accurate asphalt molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are essential for predicting its thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties. However, commonly used small-scale models (40 Å cubic) usually lead to significant fluctuations in simulation results. The fluctuations diminish with increasing model size, indicating the scale-dependent convergence of simulation results, a phenomenon that hasn’t been systematically quantified in previous asphalt MD simulation studies. This study aims to investigate the convergence behavior and determine appropriate model sizes for key simulation parameters. Different sizes of cubic asphalt models based on AAA-1 and AAM-1 asphalt samples were constructed, and the simulation results were validated against experimental data. Results showed that as the model side length increased from 40 Å to 80 Å, the average density, solubility parameter, and shear viscosity gradually stabilized, approaching convergence beyond 60 Å. Structural stability also improved markedly, as evidenced by the radial distribution function. Diffusion coefficients increased by 42.8 % (AAA-1) and 11.8 % (AAM-1) as the model size grew to 60 Å, whereas the shear and Young’s modulus in small-scale models showed strong anisotropy and only converged at 80 Å. Therefore, the model side lengths of 80 Å are required for mechanical simulations, while 60 Å models are sufficient for simulations of the other five parameters above, balancing computational cost with predictive reliability. Compared to previous studies, this work fills a critical gap in understanding the effects of model dimensional scale on asphalt molecular simulations and provides a practical reference for selecting model sizes, enabling reliable and efficient asphalt MD simulations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:46:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2595385</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Predicting High-Cycle Fatigue Damage in Viscoelastic Bituminous Materials Using the Time–Strain Superposition Principle</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2464648</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Fatigue crack damage is a primary pavement failure; however, it is an extreme challenge to predict the fatigue damage under high-cycle loading. This paper develops a time–strain superposition principle based on the free volume theory, with a proposed damage density master curve model, to predict high-cycle fatigue damage using multiple low-cycle damage curves. This principle was validated through controlled-strain fatigue experiments, including destructive time-sweep fatigue tests on asphalt binders and repeated direct tension fatigue tests on asphalt mixtures. To address the time and resource-intensive nature of fatigue tests and simulations under high-cycle loading, this study presents an efficient numerical predication of the high-cycle fatigue damage using a viscoelastic damage model and low-cycle simulation results. The results demonstrate the feasibility of predicting high-cycle fatigue damage by employing low-cycle damage results using the time–strain shift model. This offers a potential solution to the computational and experimental prediction of the high-cycle fatigue damage in the viscoelastic bituminous materials.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Feb 2025 17:11:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2464648</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Structural insights and performance evaluations of lignin on enhancing bituminous photooxidative aging resistance</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2482036</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Lignin materials are used to improve bituminous aging resistance due to their compatibility and ability to capture free radicals during aging reactions. However, it is unclear that which lignin material is most effective in enhancing the photooxidative aging resistance of bitumen, as the influence of different lignin structures have yet to be revealed. Herein, we demonstrate an approach to evaluate lignin materials for enhancing bituminous photooxidative aging resistance by focusing on their structural characteristics. Specifically, two lignin types, alkali lignin (AL) and sodium lignosulfonate (LS), were selected for bituminous modification. Then the anti-photooxidative aging performance of lignin modified bitumen were evaluated through physical properties, dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicated that both two lignin materials reduced the effects of UV light on various indices. Moreover, materials studio (MS) was employed to investigate the anti-aging mechanism. Compared to LS, AL contained more lipophilic groups and a larger molecular weight, resulting in higher binding energy with bitumen. Additionally, the dissociation energies of phenolic hydroxyl groups in AL and LS were lower than those of active groups in the twelve bituminous components, allowing them to preferentially react with oxygen and inhibit free radical formation. Furthermore, the alcoholic hydroxyl groups also serve as hydrogen donors to some extent. In summary, lignin material with more lipophilic groups and phenolic hydroxyl structures demonstrated superior photooxidative aging resistance for bitumen. This finding provides new methods and criteria for evaluating and selecting lignin materials to enhance bituminous anti-aging performance.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:56:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2482036</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>The effect of eco-friendly functionalised acid sludge on thermo-rheological characteristics of bituminous composites</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2470663</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Used engine oil recycling produces acid sludge as a by-product of the acid-clay treatment. It is classified as hazardous waste material. This paper introduces a novel material named PS (powdery sludge) by functionalising the acid sludge. PS was used in a dry method to replace fine aggregates of the asphalt mixture. The effect of adding PS was investigated on the rheological behaviour of asphalt mastics by using dynamic shear rheometer for performing frequency sweep and multiple stress creep and recovery tests, bending beam rheometer, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy tests. Adding PS makes the mastic softer at low temperatures and stiffer at high temperatures, causing it up to 5 and 1.38 times more resistant to rutting and fatigue, respectively. Also, PS reduces temperature sensitivity, aging potential, and moisture sensitivity. Therefore, using PS as a replacement for siliceous aggregates in cold, moderate, and tropical regions is recommended.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:39:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2470663</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Adhesion property of bituminous crack sealants to different asphalt mixtures based on surface energy theory</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2473479</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In order to quantitatively evaluate the adhesion property of bituminous crack sealants to the crack walls formed by different types of asphalt mixtures, the surface energy components of raw materials were determined by the sessile drop method. Then the adhesion work of sealants and pavement materials was calculated respectively. The correlation between indexes of adhesion work was verified by quantitative boiling method and scanning electron microscope (SEM) test. Finally, four kinds of mixture specimens were formed, and the geometrical information of cross-section of mixture was extracted based on the digital image processing (DIP) technique. The weighted average adhesion work of the cross-section was calculated and verified by the shear tests. The test results show that the surface energy of basalt is obviously higher than that of the SBS modified asphalt and sealant. Among the components of surface energy of three materials, the dispersion component is dominant. The adhesion work of sealant and aggregate is higher than that of SBS modified asphalt. Test results of quantitative boiling method show that there is a good linear relationship between the mass loss rate of the sealant and the index of the adhesion work. The determination coefficient is as high as 0.96, indicating that the index of adhesion work can accurately characterize the adhesion performance of sealant and aggregate. DIP test results show that the aggregate of four mixtures accounts for the largest area, which exceeds 71% of total area. The relationship between the weighted average adhesion work of four mixtures and sealant A is AC-13 > AC-25 > SMA-13 > AC-20, which is consistent with results of the shear tests. The determination coefficient of linear correlation is 0.8672, which indicates that the proposed weighted average adhesion work can accurately characterize the actual adhesion state of interface.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:59:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2473479</guid>
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