Effects of freeze-thaw cycles on fatigue performance of asphalt mixture and development of fatigue-freeze-thaw (FFT) uniform equation. (10th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fan, Zepeng; Xu, Huining; Xiao, Jiazhe; Tan, Yiqiu
• Is Part Of: Construction & building materials. Volume 242(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05-10
• Subjects: Asphalt mixture -- Freeze-thaw cycles -- Fatigue life -- Water saturation -- Fatigue-freeze-thaw uniform equation; Building materials -- Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.118043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0618

Abstract

Highlights: Fatigue life N f decreases with increase of saturation and number of freeze-thaw cycle. Decrease rate of fatigue life N f becomes more pronounced at higher stress levels. The fatigue-freeze-thaw (FFT) uniform equation was established. Abstract: Although it is widely recognized that freeze-thaw cycles can accelerate the performance deterioration and lead to premature failures of asphalt pavements, a quantitative understanding of how it affects the fatigue life is so far still lacking. This study aims to identify the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on fatigue performance of asphalt mixture. For this, the indirect tensile fatigue tests were performed up on the specimens to measure the fatigue life of the freeze-thaw damaged specimens. Results suggest that fatigue life N f decreases with the increase of saturation and number of freeze-thaw cycles and the decrease rate of fatigue life N f becomes more pronounced at higher stress levels. The effects of freeze-thaw cycles on fatigue performance of asphalt mixture were quantified by establishing fatigue-freeze-thaw (FFT) uniform equation through two different strategies: the equivalent damage principle-based approach and the direct modification approach. A comparison study indicates that the FFT uniform equation based on equivalent damage principle and exponential shift factor function can best describe the coupling effect between freeze-thaw cycles and fatigue.