Compressive-Shear Behavior and Cracking Characteristics of Composite Pavement Asphalt Layers Under Thermo-Mechanical Coupling.

Abstract

Cracking in asphalt layers of rigid-flexible composite pavements under coupled ambient temperature fields and traffic loading represents a critical failure mode. Traditional models based on uniform temperature assumptions inadequately capture the crack propagation mechanisms. This study developed a thermo-mechanical coupling model that incorporates realistic temperature-modulus gradients to analyze the compressive-shear behavior and simulate crack propagation using the extended finite element method (XFEM) coupled with a modified Paris' law. Key findings reveal that the asphalt layer exhibits a predominant compressive-shear stress state; increasing the base modulus from 10,000 MPa to 30,000 MPa reduces the maximum shear stress by 22.8% at the tire centerline and 8.6% at the edge; thermal stress predominantly drives crack initiation, whereas vehicle loading governs the propagation path; field validation via cored samples confirms inclined top-down cracking under thermo-mechanical coupling; and the fracture energy release rate (<i>G_f</i>) reaches a minimum of 155 J·m^-2 at 14:00, corresponding to a maximum fatigue life of 32,625 cycles, and peaks at 350 J·m^-2 at 01:00, resulting in a reduced life of 29,933 cycles-reflecting a 9.0% temperature-induced fatigue life variation. The proposed model, which integrates non-uniform temperature gradients, offers enhanced accuracy in capturing complex boundary conditions and stress states, providing a more reliable tool for durability design and assessment of composite pavements.