Heterogeneity effect on fracture parameters of a multilayer asphalt pavement structure containing a top‐down crack and subjected to moving traffic loading
M.R.M. Aliha, Hassan Ziari, Ehsan Sobhani Fard, Majid Jebalbarezi Sarbijan
Abstract
Abstract A part of the multilayer pavement structure containing top‐down crack in the hot mix asphalt (HMA) layer and subjected to loading of a moving vehicle is simulated using the finite element method. Aggregate distribution and packing algorithm was used for modeling the HMA layer around the top‐down crack as a heterogeneous two‐phase (aggregate/fine aggregate matrix [FAM]) medium. By considering the heterogeneity aspects of the asphalt mixture, the influence of traffic loading location, aggregate distribution, crack length, thickness layer, and mechanical properties of layers and components were investigated on the fracture parameters. The results showed that for different locations of vehicle wheels relative to the top‐down crack, the magnitude and sign of the fracture parameters in heterogeneous modeling were significantly different from the similar values of the homogeneous simulation. The stress intensity factors and especially the T ‐stress were significantly sensitive to the crack tip location that can be placed either inside the stiffer aggregate or the softer FAM part.