VECD method as a tool for evaluation of pavement structure fatigue performance

The technical progress and introduction of advanced materials with superior properties, e.g. asphalt mixtures containing highly modified asphalt binders (HiMA), necessitates investigations of methods that would enable comprehensive consideration of characteristics of the new materials in calculations. Such methods may include the methodology based on viscoelastic continuum damage model (VECD). The article presents the VECD model and its potential for use in pavement structure design. Individual components of the method are described: the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle, continuum damage mechanics and the time-temperature superposition principle with growing damage. The concept of calculations using the simplified viscoelastic continuum damage model (S-VECD) is presented as well. The article also includes descriptions of the established failure criteria and the test methods that provide input data. Closing sections of the article present an example of comparative analysis using the S-VECD method for structures with HiMA mixtures in base layer only and and HiMA mixtures in all layers (full-HiMA structures).