Predicting Thermal Stress Restrained Specimen Test Fracture Temperatures Using the Dissipated Pseudo Strain Energy Criterion

Abstract

Thermal cracking is the predominant failure mode for asphalt pavements constructed in regions with severe air temperature drops or significant daily temperature variations. The thermal stress restrained specimen test (TSRST) is one of a few tests that can simulate thermal loading in the field. Conducting TSRSTs is a time-consuming task; therefore, a predictive methodology is needed that can predict the fracture temperature of asphalt mixtures measured by TSRSTs. To this end, this paper utilizes dissipated pseudo strain energy (DPSE), which can be predicted using simplified viscoelastic continuum damage theory, as a failure criterion to predict the fracture temperature of asphalt mixtures. In this study, the fracture temperatures of eight asphalt mixtures used in the surface layer of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s research facility, MnROAD, pavement sections were predicted using the DPSE failure criterion. The results show that the DPSE failure criterion is able to differentiate the mixtures’ thermal cracking performance based on differences in the mixtures’ volumetric properties. The results also indicate that the predicted mixture performance matches the field rankings reasonably well.