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Investigation on Fatigue Damage Characteristics of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Mixtures with High RAP Content
Chunfeng Zhu1, Zhenyu Wang1, Yongyong Yang1,2
1College of Civil Engineering, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, China.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Basalt fiber (BF) significantly enhances the fatigue life of high-recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) mixtures, improving durability. BF addition also optimizes energy dissipation, crucial for sustainable pavement design.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Civil Engineering
- Sustainable Pavement Technology
Background:
- High-recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) mixtures exhibit susceptibility to fatigue brittle fracture.
- Understanding fatigue damage evolution is critical for improving the performance of asphalt pavements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fatigue damage evolution in basalt fiber (BF)-reinforced high-RAP asphalt mixtures.
- To quantify the impact of BF on fatigue life and energy dissipation characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Four-point bending fatigue tests were conducted to assess stiffness damage and cumulative dissipated energy.
- The ExpDec2 model and a second-derivative criterion were employed to analyze damage stages and energy dissipation.
Main Results:
- Basalt fiber (BF) extended the fatigue life of high-RAP mixtures by up to 55% (at 70% RAP content).
- BF constrained early damage accumulation, shifting critical damage inflection points forward.
- BF reduced energy dissipation rates in stable propagation stages for 50% and 70% RAP mixtures by 44% and 22%, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Basalt fiber reinforcement effectively enhances the fatigue performance and durability of high-RAP asphalt mixtures.
- The study provides quantitative data on BF's effect on fatigue life and energy dissipation, valuable for sustainable pavement design.
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