Heterogeneous numerical length scale investigation on fatigue behaviour of bituminous composites: focusing on mastic scale

Abstract

Asphalt mixture is a complex heterogeneous material. Its mechanical behaviour strongly depends on its mastic characteristics. Thus, an analysis of mastic can predict the behaviour of its corresponding asphalt mix. This study focuses on numerical simulation of fatigue behaviour of bituminous mastic by using a heterogeneous multiscale approach. The fatigue equation, obtained from experimental tests was applied to the numerical models. Then, the fatigue damage was computed and presented through visual illustrations as well as the local damage distribution. A new numerical method was developed to determine the local damage failure in samples. Thereafter the local damage at the mesoscale scale can be related to global damage at the macroscopic scale. The results showed that the numerical values are close to the experimental data. Finally, the developed multiscale heterogeneous approach can be applied to the larger scale of given bituminous composites such as mortar and HMA models.

KEYWORDS:

• Heterogeneous simulation
• multiscale approach
• bituminous mastic
• fatigue behaviour

Acknowledgements

The research was funded by the Region de la nouvelle Aquitaine and Limoges Métropole. The company, ‘COLAS’ provided the experimental data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).