PURSUIT OF THE SIMPLE PERFORMANCE TEST FOR ASPHALT CONCRETE FRACTURE/CRACKING

This paper presents test results of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 9-19 research for developing a Simple Performance Test (SPT) for assessing fatigue cracking and thermal cracking potential of asphalt pavements. Based on the study, the recommended SPT candidate parameters are Dynamic (Complex) Modulus and Creep Compliance. These SPT candidates appear to have potential to tie the Superpave volumetric mix design directly to the structural field performance through the 2002 Design Guide. The Dynamic Modulus test has potential to be the unique SPT test that would predict asphalt concrete rutting, fatigue cracking (surface down/bottom-up) and thermal fracture distresses from mixture properties.