State-of-the-art review of material resource mapping system for sustainable road network development

• Provides the first comprehensive review of MRMS for sustainable roads. • Classifies MRMS by technology, function and implementation scale. • Shows how GIS–BIM–IoT–AI integration enhances material mapping. • Demonstrates MRMS contributions to LCA precision and circularity. • Proposes a generalized MRMS framework with global case insights Sustainable road development is increasingly challenged by resource depletion, environmental impacts, and fragmented material management practices. This review critically examines Material Resource Mapping Systems (MRMS) as a conceptual analytical framework for synthesizing dispersed literature on spatial material inventories, material characterization, digital design tools, and life cycle assessment (LCA) in road infrastructure. Rather than treating MRMS as an established or standardized system, the review adopts MRMS as an integrative lens to examine how improved material data integration can support sustainability-oriented decision-making. The paper systematically reviews definitions, system configurations, and implementation pathways relevant to MRMS, and synthesizes global initiatives and case studies by distinguishing between direct, partial, and conceptual MRMS involvement. Evidence from comparative LCA and pavement material studies indicates that improved integration of spatial and material data—central to the MRMS concept—has been associated with reported reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and virgin material use, although such benefits remain context-dependent and are often inferred rather than directly demonstrated through operational MRMS platforms. Key technical, methodological, and institutional barriers limiting MRMS implementation are identified, and prioritized directions for future research and pilot-scale deployment are proposed. Overall, MRMS is positioned as an analytical and planning framework to support improved material-related decision-making in road infrastructure, rather than as a validated or universally implemented system.