A Review on Sustainable Pavement Practices in India: Technical Innovations and Construction Management Practices

Abstract

India\'s road infrastructure is evolving rapidly, leading to increasing demand for durable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable pavement solutions. Traditional asphalt mixes, though widely used, rely heavily on non-renewable resources and are often energy-intensive. In response to these limitations, advanced materials such as Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA), Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA), and the use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) have gained attention for their technical and environmental advantages. This paper presents a comprehensive review of sustainable pavement practices relevant to Indian conditions, with a focus on construction management strategies. Key implementation challenges such as material sourcing, temperature sensitivity, quality control, and institutional barriers are discussed. The study highlights how construction planning, lifecycle cost analysis, and risk mitigation workflows—such as pilot trials and site-level supervision—can significantly improve adoption outcomes. Case insights from ongoing SMA research at IIT Dharwad are also discussed, offering practical relevance. Finally, a structured roadmap is proposed to integrate sustainable technologies within standard road project frameworks, balancing technical performance with construction feasibility. This review aims to support engineers, managers, and policy-makers in accelerating the transition toward green and durable road infrastructure.

Introduction

Context and Motivation

India’s rapid infrastructure growth has stressed traditional pavement systems that rely heavily on non-renewable materials and outdated practices. Rising environmental concerns, higher traffic loads, and the need for efficient project delivery have driven the shift toward sustainable pavement technologies.

I. Sustainable Pavement Technologies

Sustainable pavements are designed to minimize environmental impact, enhance durability, and optimize resources through the use of advanced materials and energy-efficient processes. Key technologies include:

• Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA): Asphalt mixed at lower temperatures, reducing emissions and energy use. Improves workability and is suitable for cold or remote regions.

• Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA): A durable, rut-resistant mix ideal for high-traffic areas. Requires precise design and quality control.

• Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP): Reuses old asphalt to reduce reliance on virgin materials and lower costs, though adoption in India remains limited.

• Industrial By-products: Materials like fly ash, steel slag, and plastic waste improve pavement strength while reducing environmental waste.

• Permeable and Cold Mix Pavements: Useful in urban and rural applications; they reduce runoff and eliminate the need for heating.

II. Implementation Challenges in India

Despite technical advantages, these innovations face several barriers in India:

1. Lack of Awareness & Training: Engineers and contractors lack familiarity with new materials and handling procedures.

2. No Standard Guidelines: Absence of Indian standards for WMA/SMA deters adoption.

3. Cost & Supply Issues: Limited availability and high cost of materials and additives.

4. Incompatible Equipment: Existing machinery often cannot handle new materials without upgrades.

5. Institutional Resistance: Bureaucracy and risk-aversion delay pilot projects and approvals.

6. Climate Diversity: Varying climates affect material performance and lack of regional data hinders confidence.

III. Construction Management Strategies

Effective implementation depends heavily on construction management practices, including:

• Project Planning & Lifecycle Costing: Sustainable pavements may cost more initially but offer lower lifecycle costs. A 10-year cost comparison shows that WMA and SMA can be cost-effective long-term.

• Material Procurement & Vendor Coordination: Timely sourcing and quality verification of special additives and binders are crucial.

• Quality Control & Field Supervision: Precise monitoring of mix temperatures, material gradation, and compaction is essential to ensure pavement performance.

• Pilot Testing & Risk Management: Trial patches should precede large-scale rollout to collect performance data and reduce implementation risk.

• Training & Documentation: Continuous education, field manuals, and site records are critical to knowledge transfer and accountability, especially in PPP/BOT projects.

Conclusion

The integration of sustainable asphalt technologies such as Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA), Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA), and their hybrid Warm Stone Matrix Asphalt (WSMA) into India’s road infrastructure presents a promising opportunity to enhance pavement durability, environmental performance, and long-term cost efficiency. However, the successful deployment of these materials demands not only technical refinement but also a construction management approach that emphasizes planning, process control, training, and lifecycle evaluation. Field trials and academic research, including case studies such as the ongoing WSMA investigations at IIT Dharwad, highlight the need for region-specific design adaptation and quality monitoring. Lifecycle cost assessments and risk mitigation workflows such as trial section construction can significantly improve implementation outcomes while reducing uncertainty. Going forward, wider adoption of these technologies will depend on multi-stakeholder coordination — involving policymakers, contractors, engineers, and researchers. By integrating digital QA/QC tools, building skilled labour capacity, and institutionalizing best practices, the construction industry can effectively transition toward more sustainable and performance-driven pavement systems. This shift aligns with national goals for green infrastructure and supports the broader vision of resilient, cost-effective, and climate-conscious highway development in India.

References

[1] N. Aayog, Strategy for New India @75: Infrastructure, Government of India Policy Document (2020). https://www.niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Strategy_for_New_India.pdf. [2] S. Singh, R. Choudhury, Climate resilient road infrastructure in India: Opportunities and challenges, Transport and Communications Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific 90 (2020) 37–48. [3] M.S. Reddy, G.R. Ramesh, Application of Warm Mix Asphalt technologies in Indian conditions: A review, Mater Today Proc 45 (2021) 3872–3877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.11.670. [4] P. Kumar, D. Tiwari, Sustainable pavement materials and construction technologies: A review, Constr Build Mater 247 (2020) 118543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118543. [5] A. Garg, R.K. Singh, Use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in India: Performance evaluation and challenges, International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology 13 (2020) 689–698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0083-7. [6] S. Mohan, A. Kumar, Sustainable Road construction: A review of practices and future trends, J Clean Prod 279 (2021) 123456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123456. [7] R. Kumar, P. Sharma, Stone Matrix Asphalt: Laboratory performance and field implementation in India, Mater Today Proc 43 (2021) 4217–4224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.01.345. [8] B.R. Reddy, R. Vasudevan, Performance evaluation of Stone Matrix Asphalt mixes using different stabilizers, International Journal of Pavement Engineering 19 (2018) 913–920. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2017.1347072. [9] S.S. Raza, M.I. Khan, Utilization of industrial waste materials in road construction: A review, J Clean Prod 266 (2020) 122139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122139. [10] P. Sharma, R. Choudhary, Performance study of cold mix asphalt using emulsion and waste additives for low-volume roads, Constr Build Mater 212 (2019) 293–302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.03.211. [11] I.R. Congress, SP 79 Tentative specifications for stone matrix asphalt., 2018. [12] MoRTH, Ministry of road transport & Highways specifications for road and Bridge works, 2013. [13] A. Aljboor, R. Imam, R. Alawneh, Barriers to Achieving Sustainability in Highway Construction Projects: The Case of Jordan, Sustainability (Switzerland) 15 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310081. [14] C. Slebi, P. Lastra-González, P. Pascual-Muñoz, D. Castro-Fresno, Mechanical performance of fibres in hot mix asphalt: A review, Constr Build Mater 200 (2019) 756–769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.12.171. [15] R. Mohajeri Borje Ghaleh, T. Pourrostam, N. Mansour Sharifloo, J. Majrouhi Sardroud, E. Safa, Delays in the Road Construction Projects from Risk Management Perspective, Infrastructures (Basel) 6 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures6090135. [16] S. Pai, N. Anand, A. Mittal, Analysis on Factors Causing Project Delays in Road and Highways Sector in India Using Relative Ranking Index Technique, Journal of Construction Research 3 (2021) 43. https://doi.org/10.30564/jcr.v3i2.4157. [17] S. Baradaran, J. Rahimi, M. Ameri, A. Maleki, Mechanical performance of asphalt mixture containing eco-friendly additive by recycling PET, Case Studies in Construction Materials 20 (2024) e02740. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02740. [18] Use of RAP & RAS in High Binder Replacement Asphalt Mixtures: A Synthesis, 2016. www.AsphaltPavement.org. [19] Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Sustainable Pavement Systems: A Technical Manual, U.S. Department of Transportation, 2015. [20] Word Bank, Improving Road Asset Management in Developing Countries, 2017. [21] Y. Kim, J. Lee, C. Baek, S. Yang, S. Kwon, Y. Suh, Performance Evaluation of Warm- and Hot-Mix Asphalt Mixtures Based on Laboratory and Accelerated Pavement Tests, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering 2012 (2012) 901658. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/901658. [22] Virginia Transportation Research Council, Laboratory and Field Performance Evaluation of Pavement Sections with High Polymer-Modified Asphalt Concrete Overlays, 2021. https://vtrc.virginia.gov/media/vtrc/vtrc-pdf/vtrc-pdf/21-R16.pdf. [23] S. Mohamed, Safety Climate in Construction Site Environments, J Constr Eng Manag 128 (2002) 375–384. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2002)128:5(375).

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Abhishek A Kulagude, Anand M Khanagoud, Saikumar K Hanchinami. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.