Deformation superposition effect of asphalt mixture based on experiments and micromechanical modeling

Abstract Under multi-wheel heavy load, the asphalt mixture is prone to exhibit the deformation superposition effect, which exacerbates the damage of pavement structure. Multi-point penetration tests and numerical simulations by discrete element method (DEM) are performed to investigate the deformation superposition effect and micromechanical characteristics of asphalt mixture. The effect of wheel spacing, wheel group, and the evolution of micromechanical deformation superposition behavior are analyzed. Results indicate that the deformation superposition resistance of the asphalt mixture under the multi-wheel load decreases dramatically with the decrease in wheel spacing and the increase in the number of wheels, specifically the wheel spacing is 54 mm and the number of wheels is 4. The DEM simulations reflect the micromechanical property of asphalt mixture in the multi-point penetration test. The reduction of tensile chains is the internal reason for asphalt mixture deformation superposition, indicating the decrease of the adhesive strength of the material. A remarkably positive correlation is found between the reduction of the tensile chain and the deformation effect coefficient. In the process of superposition, the aggregate skeleton force chains are gradually destroyed and decrease to zero until cracking. The numerical simulation outcome is consistent with the laboratory penetration test outcome. (1) Evaluation of deformation superposition behavior of asphalt mixture by the multi-point penetration test. (2) Determinant of the deformation superposition resistance of the asphalt mixture under the multi-wheel load is wheel spacing and the number of wheels. (3) The reduction of tensile chains is the internal reason for asphalt mixture deformation superposition. (4) The numerical simulation method can reflect the laboratory penetration test outcome.