Modelo de simulación de ensayos de tracción indirecta en mezclas asfálticas mediante elementos discretos

This paper describes the planning, development, programming, and validation of a computational model based on the discrete element method, which was implemented to simulate, considering specific mechanical parameters in two dimensions, the indirect tension on cylindrical specimens of asphalt mixtures. The proposed software was developed in the Visual Basic.Net programming language, aiming to generate source code and an execution environment that is user-friendly and easy to understand while allowing for improvements or adaptations. The indirect tensile strength test of the analyzed asphalt mixtures was approximated based on compression forces and diametral deformation relationships, according to the regulations of the Colombian National Road Institute. As a complement to this project, the computational model was validated, comparing its simulated results against experimental data on manufactured asphalt materials typically used for the road infrastructure of Colombia’s south-west. The simulated values fell within the order of magnitude and trend of the experimental results for the analyzed asphalt material, so it was concluded that the mathematical and computational model can reasonably replicate laboratory data.