Modelling of the fatigue damage of a geogrid-reinforced asphalt concrete

Abstract

This paper presents a modelling approach to predict the fatigue damage of glass fibre grid-reinforced asphalt concrete in the fully reverse four-point bending (4PB) test configuration. The objective of the present study is to predict the fatigue damage of a composite material made of asphalt concrete and geogrid, using a damage model proven for asphalt mixes. The non-local damage model of Bodin, implemented in a finite element code, is used. Parameter identification is performed with 4PB test results of non-reinforced asphalt (NRA) and reinforced asphalt concrete beams. A unique model is developed and two analyses are performed for both NRA and geogrid-reinforced asphalt (GRA) in the 4PB fully reverse fatigue test configuration: monolayer beams and five-layer beams. A comparison between the predicted and the experimental fatigue damage curves indicates that the finite element model is able to predict the fatigue behaviour of GRA mixtures.

Keywords:

• asphalt concrete
• glass fibre grid
• fatigue damage
• four-point bending test
• continuum damage model
• finite elements modelling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.