Characteristics of fly ash blended mortars under ammonium chloride solution leaching

Characteristics of fly ash(FA) blended mortars (50%, 70% and 90%) at different curing ages (28 days and 180 days) under ammonium chloride solution(ACS) leaching were investigated. Mass loss under leaching, initial CaO content, Ca(OH)2 content(CH), content of chemical bonded water, and hydration degree of blended pastes were tested by XRF and DSC...

A Comparative Study of Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Transferable Energy Management Strategies for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

The deep reinforcement learning-based energy management strategies (EMS) have become a promising solution for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). When driving cycles are changed, the neural network will be retrained, which is a time-consuming and laborious task. A more efficient way of choosing EMS is to combine deep reinforcement learning (DRL)...

Combined effects of photoaging and natural organic matter on the colloidal stability of nanoplastics in aquatic environments

The transport and fate of nanoplastics (NPs) in aquatic environments are closely associated with their colloidal stability, which is affected by aging and natural organic matter (NOM) adsorption. This study systematically investigated the combined effects of photoaging and NOM (e.g. humic acids, HA; and a model protein, bovine serum albumin, BSA...

Unraveling the influence of fibers on aging susceptibility and performance of high content polymer modified asphalt mixtures

High-Content SBS Polymer Modified Asphalt Mixtures (HCPMA) combined with fibers have gained popularity in porous pavement construction due to their superior performance. Although the aging behavior of HCPMA has been extensively studied, the impact of fibers on performance and aging susceptibility remains unclear. This research investigates the...

Effects of Bitumen Thickness on the Aging Behavior of High-Content Polymer-Modified Asphalt Mixture

The film thickness of asphalt mixtures is critical for determining their performance and aging durability. However, understanding of the appropriate film thickness and its influence on performance and aging behavior for high-content polymer-modified asphalt (HCPMA) mixtures is still limited. This research aims to examine the relationship between...

Policy-based initiatives on promoting China's affordable housing: Challenges and opportunities

The construction industry's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality has underscored the urgency of promoting green and low-carbon sustainable affordable housing. However, the development process has encountered several challenges, including conflicts between the central and local governments arising from differences in value preferences,...

Numerical simulation of precipitation kinetics in multicomponent alloys

A universal numerical model based on the particle size distribution (PSD) approach has been developed for the simulation of precipitation kinetics in multicomponent alloys during isothermal ageing. Nucleation was implemented utilizing the classical nucleation theory (CNT). Growth and coarsening were modeled by a single growth kinetics...

Improving the strength-ductility balance of medium-Mn Q&P steel by controlling cold-worked ferrite microstructure

The phase transformations, microstructure and properties of two Medium-Mn processed via quenching and partitioning steels were compared in this contribution and a new strategy for controlling mechanical properties by introducing and controlling cold-worked ferrite prior to heat treatment is proposed. It was found that during heating, the...

A Comprehensive Study on the Rejuvenation Efficiency of Compound Rejuvenators for the Characterization of the Bituminous Binder, Mortar, and Mixture

This study aims to comprehensively investigate the rejuvenation efficiency of various self-developed compound rejuvenators on the physical, mechanical, and aging properties of aged bitumen, asphalt mortar, and mixture. The results revealed that the restoration capacity of vacuum distilled-oil rejuvenators on high-and-low temperature performance...

Multi-scale characterization of lignin modified bitumen using experimental and molecular dynamics simulation methods

Lignin, as a major waste from biofuel and paper industries, could be utilized as a modifier to enhance the relevant performance of bitumen. However, the effects of lignin on the thermodynamics properties and molecular structure of bitumen are rarely studied. Meanwhile, the potential modification mechanism of lignin modified bitumen is still...

Experimental characterization of viscoelastic behaviors, microstructure and thermal stability of CR/SBS modified asphalt with TOR

It is well known that crumb rubber (CR) and styrene–butadienestyrene (SBS) composite modified asphalt has better rheological and engineering performance. However, it always presents very poor compatibility and storage stability. Meanwhile, Trans-polyoctenamer (TOR) can effectively improve the compatibility and thermal stability of rubber...

Assessing the Mass Concentration of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Wastewater Treatment Plants by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The level of microplastics (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has been well evaluated by the particle number, while the mass concentration of MPs and especially nanoplastics (NPs) remains unclear. In this study, pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the mass concentrations of MPs and NPs with different...

New innovations in pavement materials and engineering: A review on pavement engineering research 2021

Sustainable and resilient pavement infrastructure is critical for current economic and environmental challenges. In the past 10 years, the pavement infrastructure strongly supports the rapid development of the global social economy. New theories, new methods, new technologies and new materials related to pavement engineering are emerging....