Modeling Viscoelastic Crack Growth in Hot-Mix Asphalt Concrete Mixtures Using a Disk-Shaped Compact Tension Test

Abstract

The growth of viscoelastic cracks in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) concrete mixtures was simulated by using a disk-shaped compaction test. Modeling techniques, including the interconversion and continuous spectrum methods, the harmony search algorithm, and the state-variable approach, substantially enhanced the computational efficiency of the generalized J-integral. The generalized J-integral was used for determining the viscoelastic crack growth parameter on the basis of the fracture mechanics under cyclic loading conditions. This paper shows that the parameter can be used for simulating the viscoelastic crack growth in HMA concrete mixtures even under conditions of different loading magnitudes and frequencies.