DESIGN OF ASPHALT PAVEMENTS FOR THERMAL FATIGUE CRACKING

Transverse cracking of asphalt pavements can be the result of temperature changes and it was once thought that temperature induced transverse cracking of asphalt pavements was entirely the result of low temperatures causing the pavement material's tensile strength to be exceeded by tensil stresses--a mechanism now termed "low-temperature cracking". Although models for low temperature cracking have been used with somome success in northerly regions, where the temperature drops low enough to cause a pavement to reach its "fracture temperature", in many cases, transverse cracking is quite common even though relatively moderate temperatures prevail. A mechanism that accounts for thermally induced cracking of asphalt pavements in relatively moderate climates is "thermal-fatigue cracking" due to temperature cycling that eventually results in the fatigue resistance of the asphalt concrete being exceeded. This report describes the development of a design procedure for asphalt pavements to resist thermal fatigue cracking. The first step is the development of a computer model based on fracture mechanics for predicting transverse cracking due to thermal fatigue cracking in asphalt concrete pavements. It uses Shahin's and McCullough's revision of Barber's Equations (Bulletin 168, Highway Research Board, 1957) to compute pavement temperatures but extends upon mechanistic methods of Chang, Lytton, and Carpenter, based on fracture mechanics to predict crack growth and spacing. The effectiveness of the model developed is demonstrated by comparing its results with field data from Michigan. (FHWA)

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/hostedpdfs/tti/284-4.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/85736
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  University of Kentucky, Lexington

  School of Engineering
  Lexington, KY  United States  40506

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Lytton, R L
  • Shanmugham, U
  • Garrett, B D
• Publication Date: 1983-1

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 276 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt concrete; Asphalt pavements; Cracking; Equations; Flexible pavements; Forecasting; Fracture mechanics; Pavement cracking; Pavement design; Simulation; Thermal stresses; Transverse cracking
• Old TRIS Terms: Thermal fracture
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Materials; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00388823
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-TX-83-06+284-4 Intrm Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: Study 2-8-80-284
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 28 1984 12:00AM