Fatigue Performance Prediction of Asphalt Composites Subjected to Cyclic Loading with Intermittent Rest Periods

This study investigated the use of a unified method to predict the fatigue cracking and self-healing characteristics of asphalt composites subjected to cyclic loading and intermittent rest periods. Displacement-controlled uniaxial tests were performed on cylindrical specimens of two asphalt composites with intermittent rest periods. Fatigue damage and healing behavior were modeled with their stress-strain history with viscoelastic continuum damage mechanics. An integrated method to predict the number of cycles required to degrade the materials by a certain amount with and without rest periods was devised and verified with actual cyclic test results in the tension-compression mode of loading.