Pavement Engineering Research Articles

Atomic insight into the nano-cracking resistance and interfacial bonding mechanism of carbon nanotube reinforced bitumen

Bitumen reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibits excellent mechanical performance in pavement engineering. However, its nanoscale enhancement mechanisms have not yet been studied. This study utilizes molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to investigate the effects of CNTs on the load-induced cracking process in bitumen and elucidate fundamental insights into the interaction mechanism between the bitumen-CNT interface. The simulation results demonstrate that the aromatic rings in bitumen molecules can interact with the sp2 carbon system of CNTs through π–π stacking, which enhances the load transfer efficiency and mechanical performance of bitumen. During the cracking process, the connected CNTs can bridge the nano-cracks, elongate the propagation path, and increase the overall fracture resistance. Moreover, the analysis of the energy contribution reveals that the pulling-out effect of CNTs can significantly increase their capacity to absorb external energy and save it as the non-bonded energy of the bitumen system, which results in a greater tolerance under external loading. However, debonding and sliding of the bitumen-CNT interface are observed during the cracking process, which weakens the interfacial bonding and reduces the strengthening effect. Future studies will be focused on improving the load-transfer efficiency at the interface to fully exploit the superior mechanical properties of CNTs.

Preparation, characterization, and properties of asphalt modified by surface-treated anhydrous calcium sulfate whiskers

In this study, anhydrous calcium sulfate whiskers (ACSW) were surface-treated with sodium carbonate and stearic acid to prepare inorganic–organic surface-co-treated ACSW modified asphalt. To investigate the mechanism, the co-treated ACSW were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle (WCA), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Additionally, the rough surface of the calcium stearate was examined. The effects of the co-treated ACSW on asphalt binder properties were examined using conventional tests (penetration, ductility, softening point, and storage stability) and rheological tests, such as dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) tests. The results indicated that 2–3% of the co-treated ACSW enhanced the high-temperature stability and deformation resistance properties of asphalt but weaken the low-temperature performance to a lesser extent. Microstructural analysis showed that the co-treated ACSW were physically modified with asphalt and uniformly distributed in the modified asphalt binder. This study provides a new concept for the ACSW surface treatment for practical applications in asphalt road pavement engineering in high-temperature regions.

Investigation on Shrinkage Characteristics of Polyester-Fiber-Reinforced Cement-Stabilized Concrete Considering Fiber Length and Content

Polyester-fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized concrete is widely adopted to prevent the shrinkage cracking in pavement engineering. However, the effects of fiber length and content on the dry shrinkage and temperature shrinkage are not clear. The relationship between shrinkage resistance and strength is also discussed scantily. Hence, five types of polyester fiber length (1 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, 7 cm, and 9 cm) and six types of polyester fiber content (0.1‰, 0.3‰, 0.5‰, 0.7‰, 0.9‰, and 1.1‰) were selected to prepare the fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized concrete. The dry shrinkage coefficients and temperature shrinkage coefficients were used to evaluate the shrinkage resistance. Moreover, the relationships among these shrinkage coefficients, compressive strength, and splitting strength at different curing ages were investigated to realize the prediction of shrinkage resistance of polyester-fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized concrete. This study aimed to seek the optimal fiber characteristics and conveniently evaluate the shrinkage resistance for the polyester-fiber-reinforced cement-stabilized concrete. Results show that: increasing the content of polyester fiber can significantly improve the shrinkage resistance of cement-stabilized concrete, especially for the temperature shrinkage. The fiber length should not be too long, especially for dry shrinkage. The optimum fiber content and fiber length is 0.7‰ and 5 cm for the dry shrinkage resistance and 0.7‰ and 9 cm for the temperature shrinkage resistance. There was higher correlation between compressive strengths and shrinkage coefficients, while the correlation between splitting strength and shrinkage coefficients was not obvious.

Repeatability and Reproducibility Analysis for Functional Test Results from Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester Cyclic Fatigue Test

The standards for asphalt mixture performance tester (AMPT) cyclic fatigue testing (AASHTO T 400-22 and AASHTO TP 133-21) enable pavement engineers to predict asphalt mixture performance over a wide range of loading and climate conditions. To enable widespread implementation of AMPT cyclic fatigue testing, precision statements that define the repeatability and reproducibility of the tests are needed. ASTM E691-20 and ASTM C670-15 provide guidance for conducting an interlaboratory study to determine the precision of a test method. However, the standards are written for test methods that yield a single numerical figure as the test result, whereas the cyclic fatigue test yields the damage characteristic curve—a functional relationship—as a primary test result. In this study, a vnorm index was established to quantify variation in the entire damage characteristic curve. Repeatability and reproducibility analysis was conducted using vnorm, six single-point measures of damage characteristic curve variation, and one single-point measure for the fatigue test failure criterion ( D R). The major findings are: (1) the outcomes of repeatability and reproducibility analysis using single-point measures of the damage characteristic curve vary with the chosen point of reference; (2) vnorm demonstrates clear increases in within- and between-laboratory variations with increasing mixture nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) values; (3) within-laboratory variation of D R results increases with increasing NMAS for a given specimen geometry while the reproducibility of D R does not depend on the NMAS. Correspondingly, precision limits for both vnorm and D R were recommended and evaluated using a broad set of test results.

Effect of grouped L-shape rebar connectors on the shrinkage behavior of UHPC overlay cast on hardened NSC substrate

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) overlay deployed in concrete bridge deck pavement exhibits a high amount of shrinkage that can lead to warping and debonding from the substrate of normal-strength concrete (NSC). This paper is to use grouped L-shape rebar connectors as a solution to alleviate the warping and debonding of the UHPC overlay which is cast on the NSC substrate. The rebar connectors are designed to be post-installed vertically in the hardened NSC substrate, and the rest part of the connectors are anchored in the UHPC overlay after the UHPC casting. In this study, an outdoor UHPC-NSC composite slab test was carried out, and two types of UHPC materials with distinct autogenous shrinkage were produced to cast the overlay. Different schemes of the rebar connector layout with various installing rates were performed. The restrained shrinkage of the UHPC overlay was monitored by the embedded strain sensors, and the UHPC overlay's long-term warping behavior was evaluated. In addition, a numerical model was established considering the shrinkage and creep of UHPC, the contact between the UHPC and the NSC substrate, and the concrete-to-rebar interaction. The results show that the grouped L-shape steel rebar connectors significantly affect the restrained shrinkage of the UHPC overlay by increasing the degree of restraint to the UHPC overlay by 13%-38%. The grouped L-shape steel rebar connectors are proven effective in alleviating warping and delamination in the UHPC-NSC composite slabs. Therefore, the use of grouped rebar connections is feasible in bridge deck pavement engineering.

An Appraisal of Mechanistic-Empirical Models (MEMs) in Pavement Deterioration

This research paper presents an appraisal of Mechanistic-Empirical Models (MEMs) in pavement deterioration assessment. The study examines various MEMs used in the analysis of flexible pavements, including Westergaard's Equation, Boussinesq's Equation, NCHRP 1-37A, AASHTO MEPDG, EICM, and FPO Software. The equations, parameters, limitations, and advantages of each model are thoroughly evaluated. The significance of MEMs in pavement deterioration assessment is highlighted, emphasizing their ability to provide a mechanistic understanding of pavement behavior and enable accurate predictions of performance. The paper offers recommendations for practitioners and researchers, including the adoption and implementation of MEMs, collaboration and data sharing, enhanced model inputs, standardized calibration protocols, continuous model improvement, and training and education. The conclusion emphasizes the value of MEMs in pavement engineering while acknowledging the need for further improvement and research. The findings of this study contribute to advancing the appraisal and utilization of MEMs in pavement deterioration assessment, ultimately leading to improved pavement designs, optimized maintenance strategies, and informed decision-making in the field of pavement engineering.

A Study on Frequency Response Functions in Pavement Engineering

Mechanical impedance (MI) defines the ability of a system to vibrate as a consequence of force application. In the recent years, the correlation of this parameter with tire-road noise and other characteristics has gained certain attention. Nevertheless, the information about this topic is still insufficient. Usually, the force is set through an impulse hammer as a master and the acceleration is measured through an accelerometer as a response in order to measure the corresponding Frequency Response Function (FRF). The objectives of the study presented in this paper are i) to analyse the differences between the axial mechanical impedance (complex ratio of force and velocity referred to the same point, named driving-point impedance) and the non-axial mechanical impedance (complex ratio of the force at the point i and velocity at the point j, named transfer impedance); ii) to analyse the effect of adding crumb rubber (2% by mixture weight) and of the percentage of bitumen on the mechanical impedance for the bituminous samples. Therefore, laboratory tests on asphalt concrete specimens have been performed, using an instrumentation system composed of i) an impact hammer reporting the impact force value; ii) an impedance head measuring the direct impact force and the direct acceleration at the hitting point location; iii) a piezoelectric accelerometer measuring the transfer acceleration at a certain distance from the hitting point location. Results demonstrate that the ratio between the repeatability and the average is quite constant, while for heights higher than 10 cm, also MI tends to be independent on the height. A number of recommendations have been made based on the results of the present research.

Implementation of ensemble Artificial Neural Network and MEMS wireless sensors for In-Situ asphalt mixture dynamic modulus prediction

Dynamic modulus is an essential mechanical property for pavement structural condition assessment yet obtaining the in-situ dynamic modulus of asphalt mixture efficiently and accurately has never been easy. With the development of sensing technology, a type of Micro-Electromechanical Sensor (MEMS), SmartRock, has been applied in pavement monitoring because of its convenience and high efficiency; but interpreting the collected data as useful engineering information becomes a new challenge. This paper aims to present a data processing algorithm for sensing data in pavement engineering and develop a dynamic modulus predictive model based on the ensemble artificial neural network (ANN) model using SmartRock sensing data. Five asphalt mixtures were tested by the uniaxial dynamic modulus test, and one of the 5 mixes was also used in the third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) test. SmartRock sensors were installed in the specimens to collect the mechanical response during the tests. The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method was used for data preprocessing. Dynamic modulus test data, in combination with a small portion of early-stage MMLS3 sensing data, were used as the training dataset, while the remaining MMLS3 data were used as the testing dataset. The results show that the ensemble ANN model is feasible and robust in predicting the dynamic modulus of the asphalt mixture in the MMLS3 test. The parametric analysis shows that the ensemble ANN model has reliable stability. Future studies are recommended to expand the database with more material variety and loading conditions for model verification.

Structural model performance and reinforced pavement technology in unstable location in the south of the Republic of Benin (West Africa)

The main cities in West Africa have been characterized by the development of infrastructure in past decade. This paper examined the performance of the soil and of pavement in Benin (West Africa). In this research, four objectives have been adopted in-depth on the performance characteristics of West African soil and aim to (i) accessing characteristics of soil types in the region; (ii) assessing the performance of these soils with 3% of lime, with the combination of 3% lime and 3% cement; (iii) using geogrid to evaluate the performance of pavement on clayey soil; (iv) proposing a new pavement model strategy considering economic aspects of construction. The methods used to examine these objectives are experimental tests according to standard French test. Design of flexible pavement is largely based on empirical methods according to the transport research laboratory (TRL) Note 31 with WinJulea software and compared with a designed and evaluated pavement structure adopting the center experimental of building and public works (CEBTP) method. In addition, the research quantified the percentage of biaxial geogrid impacting the performance of pavement in a diminishing perspective. Flexible pavements (with and without geogrids) were built and subjected to 127.49 ​kN load applications. This paper firstly reveals the unstable and stable areas in southern Benin (West Africa) with the presence of clay soil, and secondly reveals that the use of 3% lime and the combination of 3% lime and 3% cement are limited in subgrade. In addition, the TRL Note 31 with WinJulea software is more economical while the one of CEBTP highly performs. More so, the paper confirms that the use of biaxial geogrid reinforcement in pavement structures highly reduces the construction cost. As conclusion, firstly, the pavement made from the recycled asphalt pavement materials with biaxial geogrid in subgrade is the best in the clayey area.

Evaluation of high percentage of alternative aggregates for the production of hot mix asphalt surface layers

In the last decades, recycling of hot mix asphalt (HMA) materials became one of the major issue concerning the world of pavement engineering. As required by Italian technical specifications, pavements surface layers must be produced using high-quality aggregates, in order to meet performance in terms of mechanical and anti-skid properties. Inevitably, the extraction of virgin mineral aggregates and their decreasing availability encourage the use of recycled alternatives, such as electric arc furnace steel slag and municipal solid waste. This study evaluates the possibility to implement recycled aggregates, and others sustainable solutions, in the production of HMA surface layers. In particular, eleven mixtures were produced combining the use of recycled aggregates to polymers obtained from plastic waste recycling and basalt fibres obtained from mineral deposit productions. Laboratory and field results confirmed the validity of the ecological solutions proposed in terms of fundamental properties for surface layers, such as fatigue resistance, rutting and skid resistance.

Advances in the Rheology of Synthetic Binder for Sustainable Road Pavements: An Improved Protocol for DSR Testing

Bituminous binders are thermal-dependent visco-elastic materials commonly used in pavement engineering. However, synthetic binders represent quite a new family of products that can be used in the substitution of conventional binders with various purposes. Among them, clear synthetic resins recently experienced a quick diffusion since they can be employed in the production of sustainable road pavements (which address aesthetic concerns, thermal aspects, etc.). Since specific studies addressing the rheological modeling of clear synthetic binders cannot be found in the literature, the purpose of this research is setting up an advanced rheological protocol to characterize such materials, bridging the existing knowledge gap. An extensive laboratory investigation with the dynamic shear rheometer was carried out in oscillatory mode (amplitude and frequency sweeps) to analyze the stress–strain state of such binders. An innovative test at a constant strain rate was used to construct non-linear master curves, overcoming various criticisms about the stress state of the binder when subjected to time-dependent deformations. Results indicated that, using non-linear data, horizontal and vertical shift factors (functions of temperature and strain rate) can be modeled through power law equations to obtain the master curves. This method was considered suitable for depicting the rheological response of the binders displaying such complex behaviors.

Application of bio-resin in road materials: Rheological and chemical properties of asphalt binder modified by lignin-phenolic resin

The development of new sustainable green road materials with bio-resin is a hot topic in pavement engineering. To improve the efficiency of lignin as a sustainable pavement material, an asphalt binder modified by lignin-based resin was prepared, and its properties were evaluated. Firstly, lignin was extracted from biomass (corn straw) by thermochemical method to prepare lignin-based phenol formaldehyde (LPF) resin. After that, LPF resin-modified asphalt and phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin-modified asphalt were prepared. Then the effects of LPF resin and PF resin on asphalt properties were evaluated by chemical analysis and rheological performance tests. The results showed that lignin was involved in resin synthesis, LPF resin with PF resin had similar thermogravimetric curves, and the thermal stability of LPF resin was slightly lower than PF resin. Both LPF resin and PF resin can increase the proportion of large-size molecules and elastic components of asphalt binder and enhance its high-temperature deformation recovery ability. Moreover, the fatigue performance and aging resistance of the binder were also enhanced by the addition of LPF resin and PF resin. Although the addition of LPF resin and PF resin will increase the G-R parameters of virgin asphalt binder, it can reduce the effect of aging on the G-R parameters of asphalt binder. It seems that LPF resin and PF resin can improve the cracking resistance of asphalt binders.

Study on Mechanical Characteristics of BRT Asphalt Pavement Structures Based on Temperature Field and Traffic Load

To reveal the mechanical characteristics of BRT asphalt pavement structures under the combined effects of the temperature field and load of buses, a series of finite element analysis models were established in the software application ABAQUS to simulate the Lanzhou BRT asphalt pavement project. The actual BRT road temperature field in summer and loads of buses at different speeds were introduced in the model with user subroutines before conducting a sequentially coupled thermal-mechanical analysis. The results indicated that the BRT asphalt pavement structure readily experienced permanent deformation, mainly comprising unstable rutting during the high-temperature season, and the possibility of cracking was higher for the subbase bottom than for the base. Temperature imposed a greater influence than BRT vehicle frequency. To delay fatigue cracking of the base and subbase and the shear failure of asphalt pavement structures, BRT operating speed should be controlled within 30–40 km/h. In actual BRT asphalt pavement engineering, special attention should be given to the deformation resistance of the intermediate surface layer.

Properties and Characterization Techniques of Graphene Modified Asphalt Binders.

Graphene is a carbon-based nanomaterial used in various industries to improve the performance of hundreds of materials. For instance, graphene-like materials have been employed as asphalt binder modifying agents in pavement engineering. In the literature, it has been reported that (in comparison to an unmodified binder) the Graphene Modified Asphalt Binders (GMABs) exhibit an enhanced performance grade, a lower thermal susceptibility, a higher fatigue life, and a decreased accumulation of permanent deformations. Nonetheless, although GMABs stand out significantly from traditional alternatives, there is still no consensus on their behavior regarding chemical, rheological, microstructural, morphological, thermogravimetric, and surface topography properties. Therefore, this research conducted a literature review on the properties and advanced characterization techniques of GMABs. Thus, the laboratory protocols covered by this manuscript are atomic force microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic shear rheometer, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Consequently, the main contribution of this investigation to the state-of-the-art is the identification of the prominent trends and gaps in the current state of knowledge.

Review and Evaluation of the Prediction Methods for Voids in the Mineral Aggregate in Asphalt Mixtures

The percentage of voids in mineral aggregates (VMA) is an important consideration in the design of asphalt mixtures. Accurate and precise prediction of VMA is critical in pavement engineering. This study reviewed and evaluated current VMA prediction methods. From the perspective of treating aggregate gradation, the methods were classified into four categories: the overall gradation prediction method (OGPM), gradual gradation prediction method (GGPM), indirect parameter prediction method (IPPM), and theoretical derivation method (TDM). Fifty-four groups of published test data from previous studies were used to evaluate the prediction results of the models, and the precision and accuracy of the prediction results were compared. From the perspective of the completeness of the modeling parameters and the theoretical foundation, the reasons for the differences in prediction results with different methods were analyzed. It was concluded that the TMD has a solid theoretical basis, especially the Yu method in TMD exhibited the best prediction precision and accuracy. Some modifications to the current methods were suggested, such as incorporating other factors affecting VMA and optimizing the particle shape indicators.

Stabilization of open graded asphalt friction course mixes with plant-based natural fibers

Open-graded asphalt friction course (OGAFC) is a bituminous wearing course designed and constructed to allow rapid surface water drainage, eliminate splashes and sprays, offer enhanced skid resistance, and reduce glazing, particularly during wet weather. However, draindown is one of the challenges that is often observed with OGAFC mixes. Draindown refers to the phenomenon in which asphalt binder and mastics extricate from the mix under gravity, especially at high temperatures experienced during the production, storage, transportation, and construction phases. The occurrence of draindown have an adverse impact on the functional and structural performance of OGAFC mixes. In addition to the use of stiffer grades of binder, stabilization via fiber addition is quite often practiced to restrict draindown in OGAFC mixes. With a focus on adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly materials and technologies.in pavement engineering, this study investigates the use of two plant-based natural fibers, namely sisal fiber (SIF) generated from the leaves of the sisal (Agave sisalana) plant and sunnhemp fiber (SHF) obtained from the bast of the sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) plant, as stabilizing additives in OGAFC mixes to combat the issue of draindown. The effectiveness of the two natural fibers in resolving the binder draindown issues of OGAFC mixtures was evaluated across a variety of domains, including fiber lengths (3, 6, 9, and 12 mm); fiber dosages (0.15, 0.30, and 0.45%); binder dosages (5.5, 6.0, and 6.5%); binder types (unmodified and polymer modified binder); and thermal conditioning time intervals (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 min). A fiber length of 9 mm and fiber dosage of 0.45% exhibited optimum performance, and SHF yielded marginally better efficacy in controlling draindown than SIF. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that binder content, fiber dosage, fiber length, and time interval significantly impact draindown characteristics of OGAFC mixes.

Pavement design and construction using warm mix asphalt: A bibliometric overview

An attempt has been made through this article to consolidate the state of research in the domain of pavement engineering with respect to usage of warm mix asphalt (WMA). WMA aims at reducing the mixing and laying temperatures of conventional hot mixes by incorporation of certain tools and techniques such that the quality of resultant mix is comparable or in some cases even better than the conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). WMA helps in sustainable usage of construction materials for improving overall efficiency of materials utilization. Mapping of existing literature in this field has been done using quantitative analysis of bibliometric data of the published literature and insights are generated based on same. Webometric study is conducted for 1603 articles on the basis of publication chronology, document type, location of research study, journals, keywords, and authorship. This article would be beneficial as a stepping stone towards exploration of impact and potential of warm mix asphalt as a prominent method for pavement construction which has advantage of being sustainable and environment friendly as compared to traditional HMA.

The Impact of Nano-TiO2 Particles on the Moisture Susceptibility and Fracture Toughness of HMA under Mixed-Mode I/II Loading and Various Crack Geometry and Temperatures

In recent decades, some of the main goals of pavement engineers have been to increase bearing capacity, enhance tensile strength, and improve the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures. Because moisture and frost intensify the damage caused by traffic loads on pavements in cold climates, the life and safety of asphalt pavements in this climate are reduced. Finally, cracking at low temperatures and moisture damage leads to a decrease in the serviceability of asphalt pavement in cold climates relative to temperate climates. Hence, a comprehensive and accurate program is necessary to estimate the fracture toughness and moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures in cold climates. In recent years, nanotechnology has become very popular due to its unique features in enhancing the operation of bitumen and asphalt mixtures. For this purpose, in this study, the impact of nano-TiO2 on pavement performance against cracking and moisture susceptibility is investigated. To achieve this objective, SCB specimens were fabricated with different ratios of nano-TiO2 (0.0% and 0.9%) and studied at the three temperatures of −5°C, −15°C, and −25°C under pure mode I, pure mode II, and four distinct mixed-mode (I/II) loading (Me=0.2, Me=0.4, Me=0.6, Me=0.8) for various crack geometry, including vertical and angular cracks for which the crack angle is 45° in samples with angular cracks. In addition, the indirect tensile strength (ITS) test was employed to estimate the moisture susceptibility. The results indicated that modifying the asphalt mixture properties with 0.9% nano-TiO2 had a significant impact on the fracture behavior of the samples in both vertical and angular cracks under all temperatures. Additionally, with the application of nano-TiO2 and decreasing temperature, the fracture toughness of the samples increased. Furthermore, the findings displayed that the employment of 0.9% nano-TiO2 reduced the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures by approximately 6%.

Potential of Repurposing Recycled Concrete for Road Paving: Flexural Strength (FS) Modeling by a Novel Systematic and Evolved RF-FA Model

Concrete can be recycled after certain processing technologies for use in pavement engineering but the flexural strength (FS) is difficult to predict accurately in the design process. This study proposes a novel systematic and evolved approach to estimate the FS of recycled concrete. The proposed methods are conducted based on the random forest (RF) model as well as the firefly algorithm (FA), where the latter is employed to tune the hyperparameters of the RF model. For this purpose, data sets were collected from previously published literature for the training and verification of the model, and the accuracy of the model was verified by the fitting effect of the predicted and actual values. The results showed that the proposed hybrid machine learning model has a good fitting effect on the predicted and actual values; the calculation and evaluation process demonstrated fast convergence and significantly lower values of RMSE for the proposed model to determine the FS of the recycling concrete. In addition, the study analyzed the sensitivity of the FS of recycled concrete to input variables, and the results showed that effective water-cement ratio (WC), water absorption of recycling concrete (WAR), and water absorption of natural aggregate (WAN) show more obvious influences on FS, so these factors should be paid more attention in future pavement design using the recycling of concrete.

Evaluation and thermal performance of cool pavement under desert weather conditions: Surface albedo enhancement and carbon emissions offset

Surfaces such as pavement, buildings, and other heat-absorbing surfaces that store more heat than natural vegetation generate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Temperatures are known to be significantly higher in urbanized areas compared to rural ones.The application of a reflective surface treatment to the pavement improves its solar reflectivity while lowering the warmth of its surface. The main objective of this study is to assess the performance of a cool pavement in an educational complex parking area, under desert climatic conditions to reduce heat islands. White and high reflective material was applied to the tested parking pavement area. Various experimental techniques were used to assess the performance of non treated (baseline) and treated (cool) pavements including spectral radiation, reflectance (albedo), solar irradiance, and pavement surface temperature. The results show that the coated pavement has a 15 % reflectance in ultraviolet A (UVA) and the untreated pavement has a 17 % solar reflectance (baseline basement). There are no potential dangers to human health posed by the coated pavement's reflection of UVA (For visible wavelengths, coated pavement has a reflectance of roughly 70 %, while uncoated pavement has a reflectivity of only 24 %. Under desert climatic conditions, the results show a net decrease in surface temperature of the coated pavement by up to 15 °C compared to the uncoated one. In the summer, for example, raising the albedo of the pavement surface from 24 % to 70 % lowered the surface temperature from 60 °C to 47 °C. This represents a 22 % decrease in pavement surface temperature. The thermal performance analysis of the cool pavement technology reveals that the pavement surface albedo enhancement will help to increase surface reflectance while lowering pavement surface temperature and offsetting CO2 emissions. Increasing the pavement surface albedo by 192 % (from 24 % to 70 %) for the total treated surface area (81,000 m2) in the educational complex will offset 28,350 tons of CO2. The application of a white coating with a high reflective value on concrete and asphalt pavements will help to extend the life of the pavement, reduce the energy consumption of buildings and the emissions of greenhouse gases, minimize the emissions of carbon dioxide caused by the enhancement of albedo (a strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change), improve parking lot visibility, and deal with the effects of heat islands.