Micromechanics-Based Analysis of the Effect of Aggregate Homogeneity on the Uniaxial Penetration Test of Asphalt Mixtures

Abstract

AbstractBased on the microstructure-based discrete-element method (DEM), this study aims to investigate the effect of vertical aggregate homogeneity, i.e., aggregate homogeneity in vertical cross sections, on the uniaxial penetration test of asphalt mixtures. An aggregate homogeneity index, which can be used to evaluate aggregate homogeneity in a two-dimensional (2D) cross section, was briefly introduced. The vertical aggregate distribution was evaluated by the index. Microstructure-based discrete-element modeling of a uniaxial penetration test was accomplished by a discrete-element program called particle flow code in two dimensions. The effect of vertical aggregate homogeneity on penetration strengths regarding a uniaxial penetration test was simulated by the DEM. The obtained results were verified by uniaxial penetration testing. Results show that the effect of vertical aggregate homogeneity on penetration strengths can be numerically simulated by the microstructure-based DEM. The penetration strengths...