Determination and prediction of crack patterns in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures

• Published in: Engineering fracture mechanics Vol. 75; no. 3; pp. 664 - 673
• Main Authors: Birgisson, B., Montepara, A., Romeo, E., Roncella, R., Napier, J.A.L., Tebaldi, G.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Tarrytown, NY Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2008; Oxford Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buildings. Public works; Digital image correlation; Displacement discontinuity method; Exact sciences and technology; Fracture mechanics (crack, fatigue, damage...); Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Hot mix asphalt mixtures; Indirect tensile test; Physics; Road construction. Pavements. Maintenance; Semi-circular bending test; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Surfacing; Transportation infrastructure; Semi-circular bending test; Displacement discontinuity method; Indirect tensile test; Hot mix asphalt mixtures; Digital image correlation; Hot cracking; Image processing; Crack pattern; Mixture theory; Displacement(deformation); Modeling; Crack propagation; Digital system; Asphalt; Composite coating; Boundary element method; Crack initiation; Rupture; Digital image; Tension test; Roundness; Microstructure; Breaking test; Bending test; Crack
• ISSN: 0013-7944; 1873-7315; 1873-7315
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2007.02.003

This paper presents a comparison between predicted and measured crack patterns developing in hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures during common fracture tests. A digital image correlation (DIC) System was applied to obtain displacement/strain fields and for detecting crack patterns. The resulting cracking behavior was predicted using a displacement discontinuity boundary element method to explicitly model the microstructure of HMA. The predicted fracture initiation and crack propagation patterns are consistent with observed cracking behavior. The results imply that fracture in mixtures can be modeled effectively using a micro-mechanical approach and that crack propagation patterns can be captured using the DIC System.