Tensile Fatigue Damage Characterization of Cement-Stabilized Aggregates Subjected to Multilevel Loads
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36, Issue 12
Abstract
Characterizing the fatigue behavior of cement-stabilized aggregates (CSAs) is essential to semirigid base asphalt pavement design. However, the relevant research is relatively limited and retains significant challenges. Therefore, fatigue tests subjected to multilevel loads were designed, and a mechanical damage evolution rule was proposed to describe the CSA’s damage behavior better. Four-point bending fatigue tests were conducted following the designed loading steps composing different cyclic stress levels and frequency combinations. The damage evolution patterns in sequential and disorder loading cases, together with the plastic strain accumulation trends, were analyzed to uncover the factors influencing CSA’s damage evolution. It was found that the general damage evolution of CSA exhibited a three-stage pattern, and it was affected by the cyclic stress level, loading sequence, and history of plastic and damage evolution. Remarkably, loading frequency appeared to have a negligible impact. Plastic strain and damage evolution demonstrated congruent evolution trends in most cases; however, they differed in disorderly loading. To address these, a new damage evolution rule was proposed based on the continuum damage mechanics and driven by the equivalent plastic strain rate. The damage dissipation rate was introduced to characterize the impact of effective stress level, and the damage variable and plastic strain path were also included in the proposed rule to reflect the effect of loading or damage history. The comparison results between the fitted and measured damage evolution curves validated the effectiveness in characterizing the fatigue damage behaviors of CSA when subjected to multilevel loads. Furthermore, the proposed damage evolution rule was also employed to model the damage curves of CSA’s uniaxial and indirect tensile fatigue tests with single-level loads. The commendable agreement between the fitting and experimental results confirmed the validity of the proposed rule and showed its broad applicability under different fatigue loading forms.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This paper is part of the research work of the National Key Research and Development Project (Grant No. 2020YFA0714302). The authors would also like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. SJCX22_0057).
References
Alfarah, B., F. López-Almansa, and S. Oller. 2017. “New methodology for calculating damage variables evolution in plastic damage model for RC structures.” Eng. Struct. 132 (Feb): 70–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2016.11.022.
China Communications Road and Bridge Technology Co., Ltd. 2017. Specifications for the design of highway asphalt pavement . JTG D50-2017. Beijing: China Communications Press.
Dong, S., J. Wei, N. Zhao, and Q. Dong. 2023. “Characterization of fatigue damage accumulation and prediction of modulus deterioration for cement stabilized base.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 24 (1): 2209263. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2023.2209263.
Farahmandpour, C., S. Dartois, M. Quiertant, Y. Berthaud, and H. Dumontet. 2017. “A concrete damage–plasticity model for FRP confined columns.” Mater. Struct. 50 (Apr): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-017-1016-8.
Fedrigo, W., A. T. Visser, W. J. Steyn, and W. P. Núñez. 2021. “Flexural behaviour of lightly cement stabilised materials: South Africa and Brazil.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 22 (2): 397–422. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2019.1634637.
Ge, L., Y.-W. Hwang, H. Sun, G.-D. He, R. Chen, and X. Kang. 2019. “Effective tensile strength of lightly cemented sand.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 31 (1): 04018350. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002570.
Gnanendran, C. T., and D. K. Paul. 2016. “Fatigue behaviour of lightly stabilised granular materials from flexural and indirect diametral tensile testing.” In Geo-Chicago 2016: Sustainable Geoenvironmental Systems, Geotechnical Special Publication 271, edited by A. De, K. R. Reddy, N. Yesiller, D. Zekkos, and A. Farid, 756–766. Reston, VA: ASCE.
González, A., G. Jameson, R. de Carteret, and R. Yeo. 2013. “Laboratory fatigue life of cemented materials in Australia.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 14 (3): 518–536. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2013.779300.
Jhuo, Y.-S., Y. Guan, L. Ge, Z. Xia, and X. Kang. 2019. “Assessment of direct tension tests on compacted sand-clay mixtures.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 31 (10): 04019236. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002873.
Jitsangiam, P., K. Nusit, S. Chummuneerat, P. Chindaprasirt, and P. Pichayapan. 2016. “Fatigue assessment of cement-treated base for roads: An examination of beam-fatigue tests.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 28 (10): 04016095. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001601.
Jitsangiam, P., K. Nusit, S. Likitlersuang, and J. Kodikara. 2021. “Using damage evaluation to assess the fatigue behaviour of cement-treated base material from laboratory and full-scale performance tests.” Transp. Geotech. 26 (Jan): 100440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2020.100440.
Kang, G., Y. Liu, J. Ding, and Q. Gao. 2009. “Uniaxial ratcheting and fatigue failure of tempered 42CrMo steel: Damage evolution and damage-coupled visco-plastic constitutive model.” Int. J. Plast. 25 (5): 838–860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2008.06.004.
Kim, J., and C. Koh. 2012. “Development of a predictive system for estimating fatigue life of asphalt mixtures using the indirect tensile test.” J. Transp. Eng. 138 (12): 1530–1540. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000452.
Lee, K., D. Chan, and L. Kaichi. 2004. “Constitutive model for cement treated clay in a critical state frame work.” Soils Found. 44 (3): 69–77. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.44.3_69.
Lemaitre, J., and R. Desmorat. 2005. Engineering damage mechanics: Ductile, creep, fatigue and brittle failures. Berlin: Springer.
Liu, C., S. Lv, X. Peng, and J. Zheng. 2019. “Normalized characterization method for fatigue behavior of cement-treated aggregates based on the yield criterion.” Constr. Build. Mater. 228 (Dec): 117099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.117099.
Liu, G., L. Chen, Z. Qian, Y. Zhang, and H. Ren. 2021. “Rutting prediction models for asphalt pavements with different base types based on RIOHTrack full-scale track.” Constr. Build. Mater. 305 (Oct): 124793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.124793.
Liu, H., R. Ye, L. Chen, Z. Ouyang, C. Chu, H. Yu, S. Lv, and Q. Pan. 2022. “Characterization of strength, modulus, and fatigue damage properties of cement stabilized macadam based on the double modulus theory.” Constr. Build. Mater. 353 (Oct): 129002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129002.
Lv, S., J. Yuan, C. Liu, J. Wang, J. Li, and J. Zheng. 2019. “Investigation of the fatigue modulus decay in cement stabilized base material by considering the difference between compressive and tensile modulus.” Constr. Build. Mater. 223 (Oct): 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.07.003.
Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. 2005. Test methods of aggregate for highway engineering. JTG E42-2005. Beijing: China Communications Press.
Namikawa, T., and S. Mihira. 2007. “Elasto-plastic model for cement-treated sand.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 31 (1): 71–107. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.550.
Norouzi, A., and Y. Richard Kim. 2015. “Mechanistic evaluation of fatigue cracking in asphalt pavements.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 18 (6): 530–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2015.1095909.
Nusit, K., and P. Jitsangiam. 2016. “Damage behavior of cement-treated base material.” Procedia Eng. 143 (Jan): 161–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.021.
Ohno, N., and J.-D. Wang. 1993. “Kinematic hardening rules with critical state of dynamic recovery, Part I: Formulation and basic features for ratchetting behavior.” Int. J. Plast. 9 (3): 375–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-6419(93)90042-O.
Preteseille, M., and T. Lenoir. 2015. “Mechanical fatigue behavior in treated/stabilized soils subjected to a uniaxial flexural test.” Int. J. Fatigue 77 (Aug): 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2015.03.010.
Qiu, W.-L., F. Teng, and S.-S. Pan. 2020. “Damage constitutive model of concrete under repeated load after seawater freeze-thaw cycles.” Constr. Build. Mater. 236 (Mar): 117560. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.117560.
Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport. 2009. Test methods of materials stabilized with inorganic binder for highway engineering. JTG E51-2009. Beijing: China Communications Press.
Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport. 2015. Technical guidelines for construction of highway road bases. JTG/T F20-2015. Beijing: China Communications Press.
Safaei, F., C. Castorena, and Y. R. Kim. 2016. “Linking asphalt binder fatigue to asphalt mixture fatigue performance using viscoelastic continuum damage modeling.” Mech. Time-Depend. Mater. 20 (3): 299–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11043-016-9304-1.
Salama, H. K., and K. Chatti. 2011. “Evaluation of fatigue and rut damage prediction methods for asphalt concrete pavements subjected to multiple axle loads.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 12 (1): 25–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298430903578978.
Su, N., F. Xiao, J. Wang, and S. Amirkhanian. 2017. “Characterizations of base and subbase layers for mechanistic-empirical pavement design.” Constr. Build. Mater. 152 (Oct): 731–745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.07.060.
Tang, F., T. Ma, Y. Guan, and Z. Zhang. 2020a. “Parametric modeling and structure verification of asphalt pavement based on BIM-ABAQUS.” Autom. Constr. 111 (Mar): 103066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2019.103066.
Tang, F., T. Ma, J. Zhang, Y. Guan, and L. Chen. 2020b. “Integrating three-dimensional road design and pavement structure analysis based on BIM.” Autom. Constr. 113 (May): 103152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2020.103152.
Tian, J., X. Fu, X. Shao, L. Jiang, J. Li, and Q. Kan. 2020. “Damage-coupled ratcheting behaviors of SA508 Gr.3 steel at room and elevated temperatures: Experiments and simulations.” Int. J. Damage Mech. 29 (9): 1379–1396. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056789520930406.
Tong, J., T. Ma, F. Chen, and K. Shen. 2022. “Research of multi-axles effects on the flexible pavement based on the viscoelastic continuum damage model.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 23 (12): 2765–2780. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2021.1999308.
Tong, J., T. Ma, S. Wang, and C. Han. 2023. “An improved multistage creep recovery test procedure for viscoelastic-plastic damage model calibration.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 35 (4): 04023043. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0004701.
Tutu, K. A., and D. H. Timm. 2022. “Asphalt fatigue endurance limit estimation and impact on perpetual pavement design.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 23 (4): 1239–1247. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2020.1797735.
Underwood, B. S., Y. R. Kim, and M. N. Guddati. 2010. “Improved calculation method of damage parameter in viscoelastic continuum damage model.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 11 (6): 459–476. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298430903398088.
Wang, Z., D. Liu, B. Hu, C. Zhu, and W. Luo. 2023. “An improved regression model to predict fatigue life of asphalt mixes incorporating low to moderate RAP contents.” Constr. Build. Mater. 374 (Apr): 130904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130904.
Wu, Z., X. Yang, and Z. Zhang. 2013. “Evaluation of MEPDG flexible pavement design using pavement management system data: Louisiana experience.” Int. J. Pavement Eng. 14 (7): 674–685. https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2012.723709.
Xu, L., M. Ma, L. Li, Y. Xiong, and W. Liu. 2021. “Continuum-based approach for modelling the flexural behaviour of plain concrete beam under high-cycle fatigue loads.” Eng. Struct. 241 (Aug): 112442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112442.
Xuan, D. X., L. J. M. Houben, A. A. A. Molenaar, and Z. H. Shui. 2012. “Mechanical properties of cement-treated aggregate material—A review.” Mater. Des. 33 (Jan): 496–502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2011.04.055.
Yapage, N. N. S., and D. S. Liyanapathirana. 2017. “A review of constitutive models for cement-treated clay.” Int. J. Geotech. Eng. 13 (6): 525–537. https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2017.1370878.
Yu, J., B.-W. Tsai, X. Zhang, and C. Monismith. 2012. “Development of asphalt pavement fatigue cracking prediction model based on loading mode transfer function.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 13 (3): 501–517. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2012.695240.
Zhang, J., J. Bai, and S. Wang. 2022. “Fatigue damage evolution rule of cement stabilized macadam used in pavement’s base course at different curing time.” Constr. Build. Mater. 325 (Mar): 126827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.126827.
Zhang, J., T. Ma, S. Chen, and G. Gu. 2023a. “Evaluation of the shrinkage crack resistance of cement-stabilized aggregate by predicting the crack spacing.” Road Mater. Pavement Des. 25 (2): 291–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2023.2205953.
Zhang, J., T. Ma, Y. Zhang, and A. Wang. 2023b. “A fatigue life prediction method of cement-stabilized aggregates considering the effect of stress state.” Constr. Build. Mater. 394 (Aug): 132282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.132282.
Zheng, F., Z. Wu, C. Gu, T. Bao, and J. Hu. 2012. “A plastic damage model for concrete structure cracks with two damage variables.” Sci. China Technol. Sci. 55 (11): 2971–2980. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-012-4983-6.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 36 • Issue 12 • December 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 30, 2023
Accepted: Apr 26, 2024
Published online: Sep 20, 2024
Published in print: Dec 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Feb 20, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Design (by type)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Fatigue (material)
- Fatigue tests
- Laboratory tests
- Load factors
- Load tests
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Plastics
- Strain
- Structural design
- Structural engineering
- Synthetic materials
- Tests (by type)
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.