Influence of Reflective Cracks on the Mesoscopic Mechanical Behavior of Asphalt Pavement Structures

Authors

MA Hui, Jiangsu Expressway Engineering Maintenance Technology Co ., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 211100, ChinaFollow
REN Zhongshan, Jiangsu Expressway Engineering Maintenance Technology Co ., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 211100, China
WANG Min, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024, China

Abstract

To gain an in-depth understanding of the mechanical behavior of existing asphalt pavement structures affected by reflective cracks, a macro-meso coupled model of a typical semi-rigid base asphalt pavement was established based on a continuum-discrete coupling method. By incorporating reflective cracks with varying vertical lengths, the stress transfer paths, mesoscopic particle stress states, and displacement evolution of the pavement structure were analyzed. The results indicate that the coarse aggregate skeleton and the surrounding mortar collectively bear more than 75% of the traffic load, forming a critical load transfer system, and that a significant linear correlation exists between the vertical stress and effective stress of particles along the primary stress transfer path. The vertical propagation of reflective cracks significantly disrupts the original stress diffusion path, leading to force chain concentration, increased contact forces, and a substantial rise in effective stress. When the crack extends to the pavement surface, the displacement field of particles near the crack changes significantly, with enlarged displacement magnitudes, resulting in a pronounced degradation of fatigue performance across all structural layers.

Publication Date

10-27-2025

DOI

10.14048/j.issn.1671-2579.2025.05.009

First Page

84

Last Page

92

Submission Date

November 2025

Recommended Citation

Hui, MA; Zhongshan, REN; and Min, WANG (2025) "Influence of Reflective Cracks on the Mesoscopic Mechanical Behavior of Asphalt Pavement Structures," Journal of China & Foreign Highway: Vol. 45: Iss. 5, Article 9.
DOI: 10.14048/j.issn.1671-2579.2025.05.009
Available at: https://zwgl1980.csust.edu.cn/journal/vol45/iss5/9

Reference

[1]SHAN J S,ZHANG Y,WU S Y,et al.Cracking behavior of asphalt pavement with a graded gravel layer based on computational granular mechanics [J].Construction and Building Materials,2022,345:128199.
[2]朱浩然,魏国访,樊继文,等.基于离散元的沥青路面反射裂缝发展规律研究 [J].中国公路学报,2025,38(6):183-195.ZHU Haoran,WEI Guofang,FAN Jiwen,et al.Research on the development law of reflective cracks in asphalt pavement based on discrete element method [J].China Journal of Highway and Transport,2025,38(6):183-195.
[3]李志,郝岩,袁晓曼,等.基于加速加载试验的青川岩改沥青混合料疲劳性能研究 [J].中外公路,2024,44(3):78-84.LI Zhi,HAO Yan,YUAN Xiaoman,et al.Fatigue performance of Qingchuan rock modified asphalt mixture under accelerated loading test [J].Journal of China & Foreign Highway,2024,44(3):78-84.
[4]房辰泽,郭乃胜,蒋继望,等.加载次序对沥青混合料疲劳损伤累积的影响 [J].材料导报,2023,37(24):178-183.FANG Chenze,GUO Naisheng,JIANG Jiwang,et al.Effects of loading sequence on fatigue damage accumulation of asphalt mixture [J].Materials Reports,2023,37(24):178-183.
[5]任小遇,郭倩芸,梁恒健,等.冷拌冷铺乳化沥青混合料在不同应变组合下的疲劳性能研究 [J].沈阳建筑大学学报(自然科学版 ),2022,38(5):839-846.REN Xiaoyu,GUO Qianyun,LIANG Hengjian,et al.Study on fatigue performance of cold mix emulsified asphalt mixture under different strain combination [J].Journal of Shenyang Jianzhu University (Natural Science ),2022,38(5):839-846.
[6]韩振强,胡力群,沙爱民.基于路面加速加载的沥青路面疲劳损伤预估模型标定方法 [J].交通运输工程学报,2023,23(4):258-270.HAN Zhenqiang,HU Liqun,SHA Aimin.Calibration method of asphalt pavement fatigue damage prediction model based on accelerated pavement test [J].Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering,2023,23(4):258-270.
[7]陈飞,孟书涛.沥青路面抗车辙加速加载试验研究 [J].中外公路,2011,31(3):77-81.CHEN Fei,MENG Shutao.Experimental study on rutting resistance of asphalt pavement under accelerated loading [J].Journal of China & Foreign Highway,2011,31(3):77-81.
[8]王旭东,杨光,钱振东,等.基于亿次加载试验的长寿命沥青路面性能演化规律及设计体系研究 [J].中国公路学报,2024,37(12):197-209.WANG Xudong,YANG Guang,QIAN Zhendong,et al.Performance evolution law and design system of long-life asphalt pavement based on one hundred million loading tests [J].China Journal of Highway and Transport,2024,37(12):197-209.
[9]张俊,李志伟.循环荷载作用下沥青混合料的黏弹塑性损伤本构模型 [J].东北大学学报 (自然科学版 ),2019,40(10):1496-1503.ZHANG Jun,LI Zhiwei.Viscoelastic-plastic damage constitutive model of asphalt mixture under cyclic loading[J].Journal of Northeastern University (Natural Science ),2019,40(10):1496-1503.
[10]朱月风,张洪亮,宋彬.再生沥青混合料的黏弹性动态响应 及 疲 劳 性 能 [J].北 京 工 业 大 学 学 报,2017,43(1):135-142.ZHU Yuefeng,ZHANG Hongliang,SONG Bin.Visco-elastic dynamic response property and fatigue performance of recycled asphalt mixture [J].Journal of Beijing University of Technology,2017,43(1):135-142.
[11]李友云,车翔宇,申艳梅,等.沥青混合料半圆弯曲试验疲劳剩余强度分析与预测 [J].山东科技大学学报 (自然科学版 ),2024,43(6):74-83,123.LI Youyun,CHE Xiangyu,SHEN Yanmei,et al.Analysis and prediction of fatigue residual strength of asphalt mixture in semi-circular bending tests [J].Journal of Shandong University of Science and Technology (Natural Science ),2024,43(6):74-83,123.
[12]YOU T,IM S,KIM Y R,et al.Mechanistic modeling to evaluate structural performance of bituminous pavements with inelastic deformation and fatigue damage of mixtures[J].Journal of Engineering Mechanics,2017,143(4):04016126.
[13]汤胜,殷新锋,张明,等.基于路面破损的车-钢桥面板裂纹扩展研究 [J].中外公路,2025,45(1):135-145,152.TANG Sheng,YIN Xinfeng,ZHANG Ming,et al.Crack propagation of vehicle-steel bridge deck slabs based on pavement damage [J].Journal of China & Foreign Highway,2025,45(1):135-145,152.
[14]PENG Y,GAO H,LU X Y,et al.Micromechanical discrete element modeling of asphalt mixture shear fatigue performance [J].Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering,2020,32(7):04020183.
[15]冯卫东,菅永明,龚华勇.沥青混合料弯曲疲劳性能演化规律的宏细观试验表征 [J].铁道科学与工程学报,2022,19(10):2984-2994.FENG Weidong,JIAN Yongming,GONG Huayong.Macro-and meso-scale experimental characterization of bending fatigue behavior evolution law for asphalt mixture [J].Journal of Railway Science and Engineering,2022,19(10):2984-2994.
[16]刘平,王美静,张少强,等.抗滑桩桩位对边坡稳定性影响机理的宏细观分析 [J].中外公路,2023,43(3):37-41.LIU Ping,WANG Meijing,ZHANG Shaoqiang,et al.Macro and micro analysis of influence mechanism of anti-slide pile position on slope stability [J].Journal of China & Foreign Highway,2023,43(3):37-41.
[17]陈磊磊,陈道燮,陈超录,等.基于沥青路面结构力学行为的车辙深度控制标准 [J].交通运输工程学报,2020,20(6):62-70.CHEN Leilei,CHEN Daoxie,CHEN Chaolu,et al.Control standards of rut depth based on mechanical behavior of asphalt pavement structure [J].Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering,2020,20(6):62-70.
[18]GONG F Y,LIU Y,ZHOU X D,et al.Lab assessment and discrete element modeling of asphalt mixture during compaction with elongated and flat coarse aggregates [J].Construction and Building Materials,2018,182:573-579.
[19]邬金麒,纪伦,郭宏斌,等.实形粗集料三维离散元马歇尔仿真试件的构建与应用 [J].哈尔滨工业大学学报,2025,57(3):1-13.WU Jinqi,JI Lun,GUO Hongbin,et al.Construction and application of solid coarse aggregate three-dimensional discrete element Marshall simulation specimen [J].Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology,2025,57(3):1-13.
[20]徐旸,高亮,杨国涛,等.基于可破碎离散单元的铁路碎石道砟磨耗机制研究 [J].铁道学报,2019,41(2):124-129.XU Yang,GAO Liang,YANG Guotao,et al.Research of wear mechanism of railway ballast based on crushable discrete element [J].Journal of the China Railway Society,2019,41(2):124-129.
[21]WANG M,YU X,CHEN C.Mechanical response analysis of asphalt pavement considering top-down crack based on FDM-DEM coupling simulation [J].Journal of Road Engineering,2025,5(1):92-105.
[22]郑得标,倪富健,蒋继望,等.基于离散元法的沥青混合料复合断裂行为研究 [J].江苏大学学报 (自然科学版 ),2020,41(1):87-92.ZHENG Debiao,NI Fujian,JIANG Jiwang,et al.Mixed-mode fracture behavior of asphalt mixture based on discrete element method [J].Journal of Jiangsu University (Natural Science Edition ),2020,41(1):87-92.
[23]于新,黄宇杰,陈晨,等.基于离散元法的聚氨酯 ‒水泥稳定碎石细观裂缝扩展分析 [J/OL ].中外公路,1-24[2025-01-23].https://link.cnki.net/urlid/ 43.1363.U.20250123.1458.006.YU Xin,HUANG Yujie,CHEN Chen,et al.Meso-crack propagation analysis of polyurethane-cement stabilized macadam based on discrete element method [J/OL ].China Industrial Economics,1-24[2025-01-23].https://link.cnki.net/urlid/ 43.1363.U.20250123.1458.006.
[24]LIU Y,XU X N,HUANG Z R,et al.Discrete-continuous coupling simulation and analysis for asphalt pavement dynamic stress responses under a moving wheel load [J].Case Studies in Construction Materials,2023,18:e01932.
[25]LIU Z,GU X Y.Performance evaluation of full-scale accelerated pavement using NDT and laboratory tests:A case study in Jiangsu,China [J].Case Studies in Construction Materials,2023,18:e02083.
[26]LIU G,QIAN Z D,WU X Y,et al.Investigation on the compaction process of steel bridge deck pavement based on DEM-FEM coupling model [J].International Journal of Pavement Engineering,2023,24(1):1-13.
[27]CÂMARA G,AZEVEDO N M,MICAELO R,et al.Generalised Kelvin contact models for DEM modelling of asphalt mixtures [J].International Journal of Pavement Engineering,2023,24(1):2179625.
[28]ZHANG P,LIU C,LIU Y,et al.A friction energy-based damage model for discrete element simulation of fatigue damage evolution in concrete [J].Construction and Building Materials,2024,456:139225.
[29]刘振辉,陈雪琴,董侨,等.基于离散元的钢渣透水沥青混合料疲劳损伤数值仿真 [J].江苏大学学报 (自然科学版 ),2025,46(1):98-104.LIU Zhenhui,CHEN Xueqin,DONG Qiao,et al.Fatigue damage numerical simulation of steel slag porous asphalt mixture based on discrete element method [J].Journal of Jiangsu University (Natural Science Edition ),2025,46(1):98-104.
[30]李晓华,宋亮,叶伟,等.基于三维探地雷达的湖北省某高速公路沥青路面内部病害分布特征与铣刨养护决策研究[J/OL ].中外公路,1-12[2025-04-18].hhttps://link.cnki.net/urlid/ 43.1363.U.20250422.1114.002.LI Xiaohua,SONG Liang,YE Wei,et al.Study on distribution characteristics of internal diseases and milling maintenance decision of asphalt pavement of an expressway in Hubei Province based on 3D ground penetrating radar.[J/OL ].China Industrial Economics,1-12.
[2025-04-18].https://link.cnki.net/urlid/ 43.1363.U.20250422.1114.002.
[31]方俊.基于扩展有限元的沥青路面半刚性基层反射裂缝扩展模拟分析 [D].北京:北京交通大学,2017.FANG Jun.Analysis of reflection cracks propagation in semi-rigid base of asphalt pavement by XFEM [D].Beijing:Beijing Jiaotong University,2017.