ISSN: 1546-962X
CODEN: JAIOAD
Published Online: 28 February 2005
Page Count: 15

Fracture Resistance Characterization of Superpave Mixtures Using the Semi-Circular Bending Test

Wu, Z
Louisiana Transportation Research Center and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Mohammad, LN
Louisiana Transportation Research Center and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Wang, LB
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Mull, MA
Technology Resources, Inc., Auburn, AL

(Received 6 January 2004; accepted 29 July 2004)

Abstract

The fracture resistance of asphalt mixture is an important property directly related to pavement distresses, such as cracking. This paper reports the investigation of a newly-developed semicircular bending (SCB) test as a candidate test for the fracture resistance characterization of asphalt mixtures. Thirteen Superpave mixtures, designed with four different binder types (AC-30, PAC-40, PG70-22M, and PG76-22M) and four different compaction levels (N_design = 75, 97, 109, and 125), were considered in this study. The SCB tests were conducted at 25°C using a three-point bending fixture in a MTS testing system. The fracture resistance was analyzed based on an elasto-plastic fracture mechanics concept of critical strain energy release rate, also called the critical value of J-integral (J_C). Preliminary results indicate that the J_C values were fairly sensitive to changes in binder type and nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) used in Superpave mixtures. This study suggests that the SCB test could be a valuable correlative tool in the evaluation of fracture resistance of asphalt mixtures.

Keywords:
Superpave mixture, fracture resistance, semi-circular bending, energy release rate

Paper ID: JAI12264
DOI: 10.1520/JAI12264
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