Assessment of self-healing asphalt pavement fatigue life using analytical Jc approach and laboratory results

Abstract

Self-healing asphalt pavements are an alternative and sustainable road infrastructure. Through a literature review and laboratory tests, the authors aimed to develop a methodology to study the efficiency of asphalt pavement self-healing techniques. Results showed that Healing Indexes based on peak loads could be misleading to estimate the effectiveness of self-healing techniques. A novel methodology using the semicircular bending test and the fracture mechanics parameter Jc is proposed to estimate pavement fatigue life extension when selfhealing techniques are applied. Following this novel methodology, results show that one cycle of microwave heating of conventional asphalt pavement achieves a 20% fatigue life extension.