The lack of a unified, accessible platform for collecting and sharing standardized asphalt test result data has limited progress in data-driven pavement research. To address this challenge, AsphaltMine (https://asphaltmine.org) is being developed as a comprehensive web application platform dedicated to advancing data-driven pavement engineering. It allows users to collect asphalt test results in an organized online database, which can later be used to train machine learning models for predicting asphalt performance. The platform enables laboratories to contribute and retrieve unified laboratory test data for different tests, currently including the Rutting test, Marshall test, ITS, TSRST, and dynamic stiffness test. In addition to mixture test results, users are requested to input the corresponding component material test results and material proportions. The schema for these tests follows the European test standards, allowing standardized parameters to be entered. Users can upload data via an interactive web form or through a unified Excel sheet using a bulk import tool. The results are ultimately stored in a NoSQL database. In this paper, we discuss the potential benefits and challenges of creating such a database as well as describe the system architecture and data model of AsphaltMine, including the curation process and record storage, record structures, and user record management functionalities. We then demonstrate the data analysis and prediction features using the first test result prediction tool that was developed using the collected test results.
This study presents an experimental investigation of the mechanical behaviour of an earthen masonry system composed of cement-free stabilised compressed earth blocks (CEBs) and earthen mortar. The test program included compressive strength tests on individual masonry components, shear bond tests under varying pre-compression levels, and compressive strength tests on wall elements with horizontal and inclined bed joints. The results show that strength of a CEB does not allow for a prediction of the masonry strength. The strength test of a single CEB leads to an overestimation and interactions between units and mortar influence structural response. The initial shear strength value deducted from shear bond tests shows considerable variation depending on the precompression levels considered for evaluation, limiting the suitability for deriving design parameters. In contrast, wall tests with inclined bed joints provide a more consistent representation of the combined normal–shear stress state and allowed reliable assessment of strength and failure mechanisms. A pronounced reduction in compressive strength was observed with increasing bed joint inclination, followed by a plateau up to the internal friction angle and a subsequent drop to very low strength levels corresponding to sliding failure. This behaviour is comparable to that observed in conventional masonry with fired bricks. The findings indicate that established design approaches, such as SIA 266, may be applicable to earthen masonry, provided material-specific aspects are considered. Further investigations on additional diverse earthen raw materials are required to generalise the results.
The Letter sets out the basis for including a contribution from liquid-water film flow to the so-called water vapour permeability [WVP] of porous inorganic materials. In this, the film thickness is derived from the water vapour sorption isotherm. A regression model is obtained for the dependence of the WVP resistance factor on the humidity. The model is tested against two published datasets. It is noted that available data are scarce, and that new precise measurements of the relation between the WVP and humidity are now required.
Over the past decades, molecular simulations have become a central tool in understanding the fundamental physico-chemical processes in cement-based materials that in turn enable rational design and development of cementitious systems and chemical admixtures for practical applications. Despite the breadth of work, approaches remain heterogeneous. Different research groups employ varied atomic models, force fields, and simulation protocols, often leading to discrepancies , inconsistencies preventing direct comparisons of different results, difficulties in reproducibility, and lack of systematic multiscale validation frameworks which can connect atomistic predictions with meso- and macroscale experiments. The RILEM TC ASM Atomistic Simulations for Cement-Based Materials: Recommendations and Link to Experiments has been established to address these issues by reviewing existing modeling practices, establishing recommended protocols, and creating open-access resources to support both academic and industrial communities.
At present, Japan—similar to many other countries—is undertaking government-supported research and development aimed at transitioning the cement and concrete sectors toward carbon neutrality and a circular economy. This study introduces the approaches adopted by Japan’s cement industry, which operates under unique geological conditions with limited domestic resources, as well as the initiatives pursued within the concrete sector. Because Japan has emphasized resource and energy efficiency since the oil crisis of the 1970s, background information on research and development originally conducted to reduce resource consumption during that period is also incorporated. Although carbon neutrality is a global challenge, each country faces distinct historical and contextual constraints, including geological and resource-related boundary conditions. Research and development efforts must therefore be tailored to national circumstances. In this respect, Japan’s experience is presented here as an illustrative case.
