Investigation on Fatigue Performance of Asphalt Mixture Reinforced by Basalt Fiber

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Pavement Engineering

Background:

• Basalt fiber is widely used in asphalt mixtures for its superior mechanical properties and compatibility.
• Its impact on the fatigue performance of asphalt mixtures requires systematic evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the enhancement effect of basalt fiber on the fatigue performance of asphalt mixtures.
• To assess the fatigue damage mechanism and propose a refined fatigue failure criterion.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) and Superpave mixtures with varying nominal maximum aggregate sizes (SMA-13, SUP-20, SUP-25).
• Conducting four-point bending beam fatigue tests under strain control.
• Assessing fatigue damage using phenomenology theory, energy dissipation theory, and the rate of change of dissipated energy.

Main Results:

• Basalt fiber addition significantly increased the fatigue life of asphalt mixtures.
• Cumulative dissipated energy increased with basalt fiber content and showed a linear correlation with fatigue life in double logarithmic coordinates.
• The change rate of dissipated energy also increased upon the addition of basalt fiber.

Conclusions:

• Basalt fiber effectively improves the fatigue resistance of asphalt mixtures.
• A stiffness modulus decline to 15-25% of the initial value is proposed as a more appropriate fatigue failure criterion.
• Findings offer a theoretical basis for understanding asphalt pavement fatigue failure and optimizing mixture design.