Application of Nano-Technology in Pavement Engineering: A Literature Review

Nanotechnology is the term used to cover the design, construction, and utilization of structures with at least one dimension measured in nanometers. Initially developed in the fields of physics and chemistry, nanotechnology has established itself as an inter-disciplinary science. However, for the technology to have practical effect the advancement of humanity, it needs to be applied in areas such as the engineering fields. This paper focuses specifically on current and potential developments in the field of pavement engineering where the unique properties of nanomaterials may be used for the betterment of this field, based on identified needs and challenges in pavement engineering. It is demonstrated that there are several areas where nanotechnology can complement pavement engineering, first, through the development of improved materials to be used in pavement constructions and second, through the use of characterization methods to improve the understanding of the materials. Examples of current and planned research in these areas are cited and discussed. Finally, current challenges in exploiting the unique properties of nanomaterials in pavement engineering are indicated and discussed.