Effects of asphalt concrete characteristics on cohesive zone model parameters of hot mix asphalt mixtures

In this paper, the effects of the main asphalt concrete characteristics including the binder type and the air void percentage on the cohesive zone model (CZM) parameters were studied. Experimental tests were conducted on semi-circular bend (SCB) specimens made of asphalt concrete and the fracture behavior was simulated using a proper CZM. The CZM parameters of various hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures were determined using the SCB experimental results. Five types of HMA mixtures were tested and modeled to consider the effects of binder type and air void percentage on the CZM parameters. The results showed that as the binder in HMA mixture softened, the cohesive energy strength increased, whereas enhancing the air void percentage led to reduction of the cohesive energy and strength values. Among the studied HMA mixtures, the highest values of CZM parameters were found for the HMA mixture containing a copolymer called styrene-butadiene-styrene.