FATIGUE DAMAGE FOR BITUMINOUS MIXTURES: A PERTINENT APPROACH

In this article, starting from an analysis of the existing procedures for fatigue simulation, the authors propose a new approach that isolates the pure fatigue phenomenon. This approach has been designed, at the "Departement Genie Civil et Batiment" of "Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat". Non homogeneity of the sample and heating effects can explain, in a sense, why the "classical" tests are not able to give directly correct information on fatigue. This application first creates damage at a "micro level" which is at the origin of the fatigue degradation of the road. As a consequence, thermal cracking or reflective cracking has to be analyzed with other developments. Experimental results using the new procedure for fatigue damage are presented. A fatigue law is proposed.