Viscoelastic damage model for asphalt concrete

Abstract

The strain rate-dependent mechanical behavior of asphalt concrete was characterized using unconfined compression tests carried out at different loading rates. It was shown that at high strain rates, the elastic deformation and peak axial stress are highly sensitive to strain rate. Both increase as the strain rate increases. At very low strain rates, elastic response and unconfined compressive strength are relatively independent of the loading rate. Based on the experimental observations, a simple viscoelastic damage model is proposed for the strain rate-dependent unconfined compression behavior of asphalt concrete. In the model, strain rate response is modeled by a two-component viscoelastic model consisting of a constant elastic modulus and a viscous modulus that is related by a power-law function to the axial strain rate. Failure and strain softening are modeled via a damage formulation where damage evolution in the asphalt concrete is given by a simple form of the Weibull distribution function. The model was shown to be capable of describing the strain rate-dependent deformation, compressive strength, strain-softening and creep behavior of asphalt concrete. The model is relatively simple and requires only five material parameters.