Micro-mechanical modelling of low temperature-induced micro-damage initiation in asphalt concrete based on cohesive zone model

Abstract

Asphalt pavement is subjected to cyclic temperature variations during its service life owing to changes in daily and seasonal climatic conditions. These variations tend to accumulate thermally induced distress leading to initiation and evolution of micro-cracks. The effect of cyclic thermal variations as well as thermal incompatibility of mastic and aggregates is of major significance for understanding the behavior of thermally induced damage in pavements. Thermal stress is developed due to differential contraction of mastic relative to aggregates in asphalt concrete at low temperatures. In this paper, low temperature micro-damage initiation in asphalt concrete due to differential thermal contraction is modelled using 2D micro-mechanical volume element. Cohesive zone model (CZM) is adopted to simulate low temperature damage initiation at the mastic-aggregate interface (adhesive failure) within the mixtures. A cycle of cooling and heating is applied in the micro-mechanical model in order to capture the effect of thermal damage initiation on the overall stiffness modulus of the mixtures. The results from the model reveal a reduction in stiffness modulus (as compared to the values at similar temperatures within a cycle) after the temperature of −40 °C is reached within the applied cyclic cooling and heating. The effects of aggregate gradation and binder grade are also monitored by considering four cases of mixtures formed from a combination of two different gradations and two different mastics. Results of the micro-mechanical modelling are also compared with experimental observations of comparable mixture types.