The road transport system is fundamental to the overall development of economies all over the world. Road networks are essential for the management of resources, trade, and mobility, but also indirectly affect economic and social development. Although the focus of research concerning road transport systems has varied over the past few decades, the overall goal of these efforts has not changed, that is, to build and preserve efficient, reliable, and sustainable road infrastructure while balancing economic and environmental costs. However, the complex service environment, as well as the diverse and random loads, are the primary obstacles preventing infrastructure engineers and researchers from achieving this objective.

Planning, design, construction, and management cover the four essential stages of road infrastructure, from beginning to end. To enhance the service performance and service life of road infrastructure, innovations in pavement materials, structure, design, and management are necessary. Thus far, while efforts have been made in improving planning and design methods, developing pavement materials, and optimising management strategies, there is still a significant gap between the demands of users and the real condition of the road infrastructure. This indicates that developing methods for effectively and efficiently utilising technologies, equipment, and theoretical concepts to improve the planning, design, construction, and management of road infrastructure remains a persistent challenge.

This Special Issue aims to address recent and relevant advances in this crucial research area. We aim to collect original contributions dealing with the development of novel physical experiments, computational models, and theoretical analyses, and the use of reliable models, characterisation techniques, and evaluation tools to achieve traffic operation efficiency, safety, and energy savings. High-quality reviews and original research papers that present current research gaps, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and practical approaches are welcome.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Material characterisation and innovative experimental techniques
• Multi-scale and multi-physics modelling of pavement materials
• Sustainable and innovative materials for road infrastructure
• Conception and implementation of novel road design approaches
• Road infrastructure construction techniques and strategies
• Rehabilitation, preservation, and maintenance strategies and approaches
• Pavement management systems
• Design and operation of new generation transport systems