Fatigue Characterization of Asphalt Binders

with the Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS)

Cassie Hintz, Raul Velasquez, Hassan

Tabatabaee, Hussain Bahia
Content

Part 1: Binder Fatigue Testing

Part 2: LAS: Theoretical Base
Part 3: Performing the LAS test
Anton Paar Rheometers
TA Rheometers
Bohlin Rheometers
Part 4: Analysis of LAS results
PART 1:
BINDER FATIGUE TESTING
 Superpave Bitumen Tests
Related to Performance!
Climate -- PG HT-LT
DSR
DT Traffic Speed DSR
Traffic Volume PG shift
Dynamic Shear
Direct Rheometer
Tension Test Traffic loading NA
RV Pavement Structure NA
BBR Assumption:
Rotational Bitumen in Linear VE
Viscometer range
Bending Beam Rheometer
Binder Fatigue: Superpave Specification
(|G*|sin)
Data from NCHRP 9-10
Binder Fatigue: Time Sweep (NCHRP
9-10)
Background Asphalt Mixture
Fatigue
Asphalt mixture fatigue characterization relies on following fatigue
law:
Number of Cycles to Failure = A (Applied Load)B
MEPDG Model:
3.9492
1
1.281
1
N f 0.00432 * k '1 *C stiffness /
t
traffic E
temperature
1
k '1 structure
0.003602
0.000398
1 e (11.02-3.49*hac)
where: hac = Total thickness of the asphalt layers
Background Asphalt Fatigue

N f A( max ) B
Background VECD
Viscoelastic Continuum Damage (VECD) analysis has been
used for asphalt mixtures since the late 1980s.
Relies on constitutive modeling to determine the deviation of
damaged test results from undamaged properties.
Deviation from initial undamaged properties with respect to
number of cycles used to calculate damage.
Characteristic plot used to back-calculate fatigue
performance under different testing conditions.
Background VECD
Background Summary
Asphalt concrete has been shown to have a well-
defined relationship between loading input and
fatigue life.
VECD analysis can be an effective tool to determine
damage characteristics.
Conventional binder fatigue procedure (time
sweep) is problematic.
Binder fatigue testing needs an efficient procedure
that can do more than rank relative performance for
a single condition.
PART 2:
LINEAR AMPLITUDE SWEEP:
THEORETICAL BASE
NewTest Method
Linear Amplitude Sweep
Employs the DSR and standard geometry
Systematically increases applied load to
accelerate damage
Strain-controlled to avoid accumulated
deformation
Use of VECD allows for calculation of fatigue life at
any strain level
New Test Method

Frequency Sweep +
Background Asphalt Fatigue

N f A( max ) B
Fatigue Law Parameter B

B = -2
obtained from frequency sweep
can be calculated using the slope of log-log
G() plot
where G()=|G*|cos ()
= 1 + 1 / m
where m is slope of the log-log G() plot
Fatigue Law Parameter A

Where
Df = (0.35)(C0 / C1)^(1 / C2)
Damage at failure: Failure corresponds to a 35% reduction in G*sin
f = Loading frequency (10 Hz).
k = 1 + (1 C2)
ID = undamaged complex modulus
C1 and C2 come from curve fit:

Where D = damage
 Damage Curve
VECD Damage Curve from Amplitude Sweep
14.0
12.0
|G*| sin [Pa]

10.0
8.0
Amplitude Sweep
6.0
4.0 Fit
2.0
0.0
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000
D(t)
t t

D (t ) I D G * sin i 1 G * sin i
N 1
2 1 1
0 i i 1
i 1
 Parameters C1 and C2
Model can be linearized to determine curve coefficients:

Y = + x
C0 is average |G*|sin from the 0.1% strain step
log(C1) is intercept and log(C2) is slope of
log(C0 - |G*|sin) versus log(D(t))
**IGNORE DATA CORRESPONDING TO D(t) less than 100
Linearized Damage Curve

0.80 y = 1.0905 + 0.4989x

0.70 R = 0.9983
0.60
log(C0-|G*|sin

0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
2 2.5 3 3.5 4
log(Damage)
Summary
The LAS test is a DSR procedure consisting of a frequency
sweep and strain amplitude sweep
Goal: derive fatigue law
Parameters A and B are
N f A max B

binder properties
A from amplitude sweep Traffic Structure

Higher A increases fatigue life

B from frequency sweep
Higher magnitude of B decreases fatigue life (at a constant A)
PART 3:
PERFORMING THE LAS TEST:
(a) ANTON-PAAR RHEOMETERS
Anton-Paar Rheometers

The test has been successfully tested on the

following Anton-Paar Rheometers:
MCR 300 (Smartpave)
MCR 301
Direct Strain Oscillation (DSO) module
recommended but not required
 Anton-Paar Rheometers
16
A % Difference
14 With DSO 8.04E+06
Without DSO 8.75E+06 8.47%
12
Strain (%)

10

8
Without DSO
6

4 With DSO
2

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Time (sec)
Anton-Paar Rheometers

Video
PART 3:
PERFORMING THE LAS TEST:
(b) TA RHEOMETERS
TA Rheometers
Procedure can be run as specified in AR2000 EX
AR2000 at UW does not have capability to conduct
procedure exactly as specified but results are not
substantially affected
Cannot allow for 100 cycles of loading per strain exactly
(typically includes 120-140 cycles per strain step)
Cannot generate one point per second (able to obtain
approximately one point every three seconds)
TA Rheometers

Video
PART 3:
PERFORMING THE LAS TEST:
(b) BOHLIN RHEOMETERS
Bohlin
Unable to successfully conduct LAS test in UWs Bohlin C VOR-200
rheometer
DSR stops oscillating between strain steps
Malvern support stated their Kinexus rheometers are capable of
running procedure
Contact with Malvern support revealed there was no solution
UWs rheometer requires several seconds to process data between each
strain step
Faster computer will reduce rest between strain steps but will not
eliminate the problem
PART 4:
ANALYSIS OF LAS RESULTS
Analysis of LAS Results

Analysis is easily carried out using prepared

MS Excel spreadsheets
Analysis of LAS Results

Video
Summary
Linear Amplitude Sweep is being proposed to
address concerns over current specification
Efficient and practical, uses existing equipment
and testing geometry
VECD analysis can be employed to account for
traffic and pavement structure
 Thank You!

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