Effect of Crack Initiation and Life Prediction of Polyacrylonitrile-Reinforced Gussasphalt Surfacing over Steel Bridge Deck under Fiber Content Variation

Xun Qian Xu,Jian Bo Wang,Wei Yang,Hong Liang Xiang,Xiao Yang

doi:10.3390/cryst10030155

Abstract

The crack initiation and life prediction of fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC) surfacing for steel bridge decks under a cyclic vehicle load are analyzed from the perspective of damage mechanics. The damage field and the stress and strain field evolution rule of a composite beam in fatigue test are studied, and a fatigue failure criterion is proposed for steel deck FRAC surfacing. Bending fatigue tests are performed on composite beams composed of a steel deck and polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-fiber-reinforced Gussasphalt (GA), i.e., GA-PAN, concrete surfacing under different fiber content and temperature conditions. The damage evolution characteristics of GA-PAN concrete surfacing over the steel deck with different fiber lengths and volume ratios are predicted by analyzing the fatigue life equations. The results show that the steel bridge deck FRAC surfacing model can reflect the comprehensive influence of the fiber content and length on the fatigue performance of steel bridge AC. Specifically, a lower temperature results in the fiber more synergistically affecting the fatigue resistance of AC. Theoretically, the service performance of asphalt concrete increases with the increase of fiber length and content. The optimum fiber length and volume ratio of GA-PAN are found to be 9 mm and 0.46–0.48%, respectively, considering the construction workability.

Highlights

The Gussasphalt (GA) mixture with high viscosity was first applied in Germany (1982), and since it was widely used in Britain, Japan, and China
Highway Bridge in China introduced the British single-layer pouring surfacing structure. This surfacing project was under the general contract of the Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) engineering company in the United Kingdom (UK)
Based on the continuous damage mechanics method, a model for crack initiation and the fatigue life predicting of fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC) surfacing for steel bridge decks was established, and the feasibility of the model was verified via GA-PAN surfacing fatigue tests

Summary

Introduction

The Gussasphalt (GA) mixture with high viscosity was first applied in Germany (1982), and since it was widely used in Britain, Japan, and China. Highway Bridge in China introduced the British single-layer pouring surfacing structure. This surfacing project was under the general contract of the Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) engineering company in the United Kingdom (UK). Compared with the ordinary asphalt mixture, GA has better high-temperature resistance and lesser low-temperature crack resistance [1,2]. Fatigue damage and the cracking of the asphalt surfacing are major problems restricting the use efficiency of bridges. Improving the fatigue damage resistance of asphalt surfacing steel bridge decks has both theoretical and engineering significance [8,9]. Compared with ordinary AC, fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC) has the advantages of a higher strength and modulus, good

Methods

Results

Conclusion