Numerical–Experimental Modeling Approach to Simulate Reflective Cracking in Asphalt Pavements

In this paper, a numerical–experimental approach is proposed to evaluate reflective cracking in asphalt pavements. The experimental part consists of obtaining the viscoelastic and fatigue properties of the asphalt mixtures, while the numerical analysis consists of computational modeling of the problem using the finite element method and simplified viscoelastic continuum damage mechanics through the AEDCISO program. The developed model was calibrated and applied to simulate reflective cracking on a laboratory scale, simulating the overlay test (OT), and on a field scale, simulating pavement structures. In the simulations of pavement structures, an application to real cases was pursued. The simulation results on the laboratory scale demonstrated that the model was able to satisfactorily predict the failure of the asphalt mixtures used in the OT. On the field scale, the model demonstrated the sensitivity and capability to simulate reflective cracking and capture the influence of variables such as material properties, layer thicknesses, and the presence of cracks. The model was not able to accurately predict the evolution of the cracked area observed in the field, but it was able to adequately rank the performance of the analyzed structures.