Normalization method for asphalt mixture fatigue equation under different loading frequencies

In order to analyze the effect of different loading frequencies on the fatigue performance for asphalt mixture,the changing law of asphalt mixture strengths with loading speed was revealed by strength tests under different loading speeds.Fatigue equations of asphalt mixtures based on the nominal stress ratio and real stress ratio were established using fatigue tests under different loading frequencies.It was revealed that the strength of the asphalt mixture is affected by the loading speed greatly.It was also discovered that the fatigue equation based on the nominal stress ratio will change with the change of the fatigue loading speed.There is no uniqueness.But the fatigue equation based on the real stress ratio doesn't change with the loading frequency.It has the uniqueness.The results indicate the fatigue equation based on the real stress ratio can realize the normalization of the asphalt mixture fatigue equation under different loading frequencies.It can greatly benefit the analysis of the fatigue characteristics under different vehicle speeds for asphalt pavement.

Experimental Study on Fatigue Performance of Gussasphalt Mixture

Four-point flexural fatigue test for Gussasphalt mixture specimen was carried out at a straincontrolled mode system. The results showed that the development of the tested stiffness modulus and phase angle of the mixtures with increasing load cycles exhibited three periods, initial generation, slow development and failure period. The fatigue crack generation zone formed in the third period, in which the macro mechanical properties were signifi cantly decreased. Moreover, we also analyzed the effects of asphalt content and mixing temperature on the fatigue life of the mixture. The results showed that the fi rst period when the specimen＇s initial stiffness modulus was reduced to 80% accounted for 5%-10% of the total fatigue life; the second period in which the reduction became slow and demonstrated a liner relationship with load cycles occupied 70%-85% of the fatigue life; and the third period was about 5%-10%. The results indicated that the lower the mixing temperature, the longer the fatigue life of Gussasphalt mixture. Besides, the increasing of asphalt content has a minor effect on the fatigue life of Gussasphalt mixture

Application of semi-analytical finite element method to analyze asphalt pavement response under heavy traffic loads

Accurate assessment of the impact of heavy traffic loads on asphalt pavements requires a computational model which is able to calculate the response of the pavement fast and precisely. Currently the most finite element analysis programs based on traditional methods have various limitations. A specific program SAFEM was developed based on a semi-analytical finite element method to overcome the problems. It is a three-dimensional FE program that requires only a two-dimensional mesh by incorporating the semi- analytical method using Fourier series in the third dimension. The computational accuracy and efficiency of the program was verified by analytical verification previously. The experimental verification is carried out in this paper and the results show that the SAFEM is able to predict the mechanical responses of the asphalt pavement. Using the program SAFEM, the impact of heavy traffic loads was analyzed in terms of stress and strain dis- tribution, surface deflection and fatigue life. The results indicate that if the asphalt pave- ment is subjected to the heavy traffic load more, the thicknesses and stiffness of the pavement structural layers should be increased adequately in order to support the surface deflection, The compressive stress in asphalt binder course is relatively large and increases more significantly compared with that in the other asphalt layers when the axle load becomes larger. With comparison of the predicted fatigue life, the increase of the axle load will lead to the destruction of the asphalt pavement extremely easily.