01333325

Component

Air pollution represents a serious and inevitable challenge. In recent years lots of researchers spent time and resources to find solutions and, consequently, some important advances have been made, leading to stronger environmental policies, hinging not only on regulation of specific sources and fuel quality, but also on the reduction of pollutants concentration near the source. Particular attention was devoted to development of innovative photocatalytic road pavements. This paper concerns road pavements able to reduce the gas exhausted from vehicles, thanks to the action of photocatalysts, mainly titanium dioxide, incorporated into the pavement mixture. The experimentation carried out allowed to evaluate the depolluting action due to a photocatalytic mortar as well as mechanical characteristics of the pavement. Results allowed also to find the optimal water and titainium dioxide content for the photocatalytic mortar. Furthermore a new developed bituminous photocatalytic pavement was analyzed, focusing on long term environmental pavement effectiveness, measured with a new procedure able to simulate vehicles wearing effect on surface pavements, obtaining excellent air pollutants concentration reduction and demonstrating the significantly enhancement of air quality given by photocatalytic road materials. Air pollution improvement was accurately quantified with a newly equipment that enabled the evaluation of Nitrogen Oxides reduction and allowed to investigate the factors affecting photocatalytic performances.

01329018

11-1388

English

14p

2011

Transportation Research Board 90th Annual Meeting

DVD

Figures; Photos; References (21) ; Tables (2)

Air quality management; Environmental impacts; Exhaust gases; Mechanical properties; Nitrogen oxides; Pavements; Pollutants

Pavement mixtures; Photocatalysts; Titanium dioxide

Environment; Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2011 Paper #11-1388

TRIS, TRB

Feb 17 2011 5:47PM