Identification and verification of a suitable crack growth law Conference Paper

abstract

• A suitable crack growth law based on fracture mechanics was identified using fundamental properties obtained from the Superpave Indirect Tension Test. Discrepancies were observed between measured crack growth rate and field performance. Healing of the asphalt mixture, caused by placing the specimen in the oven at 30C for 12 hr and some aging caused reduction in resilient deformation. Based on results, a suitable crack growth law was recommended, which is associated with the key feature that cracks grow discontinuously in asphalt mixtures, and dissipated creep strain energy limit is the criterion that identifies the onset of crack initiation and propagation. If the dissipated creep strain energy limit were not exceeded, microcracks were healable; but once the creep strain energy limit was exceeded, non-healable cracks (macrocracks) would propagate. A hot-mix-asphalt fracture mechanics model, which was introduced based on the crack growth law, showed potential to predict cracking performance of asphalt pavements.

authors

• Birgisson, Bjorn

published proceedings

• JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ASPHALT PAVING TECHNOLOGISTS, VOL 70

author list (cited authors)

• Zhang, Z. W., Roque, R., Birgisson, B., & Sangpetngam, B.

complete list of authors

• Zhang, ZW||Roque, R||Birgisson, B||Sangpetngam, B

publication date

• December 2001

published in

• Asphalt Paving Technology  Journal

keywords

• Crack Growth
• Fracture Mechanics
• Hma Mixtures

start page

• 206

end page

• 241

volume

• 70