A Review on Multiscale Modeling of Asphalt : Development and Applications

Modeling is an important approach for describing the physical and mechanical properties of asphalt, which can be employed to analyze the properties and optimize the performance of asphalt-based materials. The objective of this review is to elucidate the existing modeling techniques from diferent scales and summarize the prospects and application of diferent modeling methods. The continuum model and its practical application at the macroscale are introduced frst. However, the macroscopic model cannot explain the roles of the diferent components in asphalt during the degradation process. The microstructural model at the mesoscale is adopted in order to describe the physical properties of the asphalt mixture, and diferent numerical methods are presented in order to analyze the microstructural models. Due to the heterogeneous nature of asphalt at the nanoscale, various experimental tools have been used to determine the molecular structures of asphalt. The average model and multi-component model have been proposed in the molecular dynamics simulations. This paper provides a clear understanding of the strength and limitations of each modeling technology at diferent scales and the applications of multiscale modeling for asphalt materials. The possible challenges of asphalt modeling have been addressed in order to encourage the development of asphalt pavement with higher durability.