Fracture evolution characteristics of asphalt concrete using digital image correlation and acoustic emission techniques

The cracking damage of asphalt concrete significantly affects the service life of pavement. The objective of this research is to investigate fracture mechanisms of asphalt concrete by employing a synergistic approach combining digital image correlation (DIC) and acoustic emission (AE) techniques under three-point bending tests. Firstly, the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and the fracture process zone (FPZ) derived from DIC were utilized to classify fracture stages and describe the entire crack propagation process. Meanwhile, AE-related parameters were applied to detect the internal damage and fracture characteristics. Subsequently, the results from DIC and AE were utilized for comparative analysis to evaluate the cracking resistance of different materials. Finally, the fractal dimension and AE b-value were used to distinguish the characteristics of the critical damage conditions. The results indicated that both techniques are effective in classifying the fracture stage of asphalt concrete. DIC can visualize and analyze crack propagation processes and paths on concrete surfaces, especially at the stage of macrocrack initiation and propagation. AE allows for continuous monitoring and highly sensitive detection of early-stage damage inside concrete. The distinct advantages of DIC and AE result in different fracture stage identification results at the early stage, but consistent after the appearance of macrocracks. Based on the relationship between CTOD and AE cumulative count, a simple approach is proposed to directly evaluate the cracking resistance of different asphalt concretes. The formation of macrocracks in asphalt concrete can be reflected by a shift where the correlation dimension drops steeply to the minimum value, and a minimum inflection point in the AE b-value curve acts as a precursor of complete fracture. The research offers an in-depth insight of both surface deformation and internal damage, thus enhancing the understanding of crack growth behavior and fracture process in asphalt concrete.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.138100
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061824032422
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09500618
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Ye, Yingci
  • Yang, Qing
  • 0000-0001-9578-7229
  • Xiao, Shanglin
  • 0000-0001-6516-9753
  • Qiu, Xin
  • Xiong, Yixin
  • Yang, Wenxi
• Publication Date: 2024-10-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: 138100
• Serial:
  • Construction and Building Materials
  • Volume: 447
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0950-0618
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09500618?sdc=1

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic emission tests; Asphalt concrete; Cracking of asphalt concrete pavements; Fracture mechanics; Image processing
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01932474
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 1 2024 9:48AM