Development of asphalt pavement fatigue cracking prediction model based on loading mode transfer function

Abstract

The execution of four-point bending fatigue tests under both constant strain and constant stress testing modes established the laboratory fatigue prediction models for these two conditions. The development of a sigmoidal loading mode transfer function provides the fatigue life transition from constant strain mode to constant stress mode or vice versa. Subsequently, the combination of the laboratory constant strain prediction model and loading mode transfer function developed a new asphalt pavement fatigue cracking prediction model which was calibrated with 26 full-scale accelerated and real pavement test sections. The calibration results indicate that the proposed model has achieved better prediction than the Asphalt Institute (AI) MS-1 fatigue prediction model. This model can be used in mechanistic-empirical pavement design and further refined upon verification.

Keywords:

• asphalt pavement
• fatigue cracking
• prediction model
• transfer function
• constant stress
• constant strain

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the project by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51008132, No. 51038004) and the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China (No. 200831800099). In addition, the authors would like to acknowledge the Minnesota Department of Transportation and National Center for Asphalt Technology for data support. Furthermore, the authors gratefully acknowledge the technical support of the following individuals: Professor Zukang Yao at Tongji University, Mr Syed A. Bukhari at University of California Pavement Research Center, Mr Tim Clyne, Mr Ben Worel, Dr Songtao Dai at Minnesota Department of Transportation and Dr Randy West and Dr David Timm at NCAT (Auburn University). All researchers and technicians of University of California Pavement Research Center are gratefully acknowledged for their active assistance throughout this study. This paper would not have been possible without their assistance and effort. You have our sincere appreciation.