Influence of Haversine and Sinusoidal Wave Load on Estimating Fatigue Life of Asphalt Layers

Abstract

The phenomenon of fatigue can be considered one of the main causes of asphalt surface failure. The four-point bending apparatus is a device used widely to determine the fatigue resistance of asphalt mixtures. Worldwide, there are several standard procedures that rule this test. The main difference between them is the waveform, in which the load is applied to the beam, and the failure criteria. This paper reports how the waveform—haversine or sinusoidal—affects the fatigue resistance determination of an asphalt mixture. Additionally, the impact of the obtained models was evaluated through numerical simulation, based on the required thickness of the asphalt layer from a pavement’s structure. It was concluded that depending on the loading waveform employed, the fatigue resistance results present a significant difference. Tests carried out on the four-point bending machine with haversine loading presented values of fatigue resistance much higher than the ones carried out with sinusoidal loading.