Journal Published Online: 20 November 2018
Volume 48, Issue 5

Temperature Wave Fatigue Damage and Dissipated Energy Approach to Flow Number Estimation of Asphalt Concrete

CODEN: JTEVAB

Abstract

The effect of sinusoidal temperature on the fatigue life of asphalt concrete (AC) under continuous loading was investigated. The traditional failure criteria of 50 % loss in stiffness, stiffness ratio, and dissipated energy ratio were employed to analyze the AC fatigue test results. Dissipated energy approach and dissipated energy ratio were also extended to estimate the flow number (FN) of AC. The varying temperature induces a continuously changing temperature gradient across the AC beam. This, in turn, triggers the formation of continuously alternating weaker and harder outer layer relative to the beam core, thus creating a stiffness undulation. The combined effect of the load and temperature cycles resulted in a stiffness diminishing trend similar to that of damped harmonic vibration energy. The bottom of the beam is subjected to additional tensile strain/stress for a negative temperature gradient, while the top of the AC beam is subjected to additional compressive strain/stress for a positive temperature gradient. The temperature amplitude and period have a significant influence on the diminishing trend of the stiffness. Results from all the fatigue life estimation and prediction methods employed showed that the fatigue life of AC under variable temperature is shorter than that under constant temperature. However, the effect of the variable temperature is felt much more at lower strain loading. Nonrecovered strain energy method was successfully employed to estimate the AC FN.

Author Information

Dalhat, M. A.
Transportation and Traffic Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Al-Abdul Wahhab, H. I.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, University Blvd, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Pages: 16
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: JTE20170752
ISSN: 0090-3973
DOI: 10.1520/JTE20170752