Validation of a Mathematical-Based Model for the Rheological Characterization of Asphalt Mixtures

Abstract

Asphalt mixtures are viscoelastic materials whose behavior is highly dependent on temperature and loading frequency. The influence of these factors is described through master curves constructed at a given reference temperature based on the principle of frequency-temperature superposition. These curves are used as inputs in asphalt pavement design procedures based on mechanistic principles and related to their in-service pavement performance. This paper proposes the application of the Kramers-Kronig (K-K) relations to characterize the rheological properties of asphalt materials using a mathematical approach. Due to the complexity of the integration of the K-K relations, an approximate solution of the K–K relations was used to develop a Mathematical-Based Model to predict the master curves for the Dynamic Modulus |E*| and the Phase Angle f. This model was validated using the experimental results of two different asphalt mixtures with different characteristics. The results indicate that the model is accurate, and could be an effective approach to mathematically predict the master curves of the asphalt mixture viscoelastic properties in a wide range of temperatures and frequencies.