Impact of Nanomaterials on the Mechanical Strength and Durability of Pavement Quality Concrete: A Comprehensive Review

This review paper investigates the comprehensive impact of various nanomaterials on the mechanical properties and durability of pavement-quality concrete (PQC) with a specific focus on compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, permeability, abrasion resistance, fatigue performance, and crack relief performance. Despite significant advancements in the use of nanomaterials in concrete, existing research lacks a comprehensive evaluation of their comparative effectiveness, optimal dosages, and long-term durability in PQC. While conventional PQC faces challenges such as low fatigue resistance, high permeability, and susceptibility to abrasion, studies on nanomaterials have largely focused on individual properties rather than a holistic assessment of their impact. Nano SiO2 and graphene oxide (GO) emerged as the most effective, with optimal dosages of 2% and 0.03%, respectively, leading to substantial improvements in compressive strength (up to 48.88%), flexural strength (up to 60.7%), and split tensile strength (up to 78.6%) through improved particle packing, reduced permeability, and refined microstructure. Nano TiO2, particularly at a 1% dosage, significantly enhanced multiple properties, including a 36.30% increase in compressive strength, over 100% improvement in abrasion resistance, and a 475% increase in fatigue performance. However, a critical research gap exists in understanding the combined effects of multiple nanomaterials, their interaction mechanisms within cementitious systems, and their real-world performance under prolonged environmental and loading conditions. Most studies have been limited to laboratory-scale investigations, with minimal large-scale validation for pavement applications. The findings indicate that nanomaterials like nano TiO2, nano CaCO3, nano Al2O3, nano clay, and carbon nanomaterials play crucial roles in improving characteristics like permeability, abrasion resistance, and fatigue performance, with notable gains observed in many cases. This review systematically analyzes the influence of these nanomaterials on PQC, identifies key research gaps, and emphasizes the need for large-scale field validation to enhance their practical applicability.