Development of asphalt pavement fatigue cracking prediction model based on loading mode transfer function

The execution of four-point bending fatigue tests under both constant strain and constant stress testing modes established the laboratory fatigue prediction models for these two conditions. The development of a sigmoidal loading mode transfer function provides the fatigue life transition from constant strain mode to constant stress mode or vice versa. Subsequently, the combination of the laboratory constant strain prediction model and loading mode transfer function developed a new asphalt pavement fatigue cracking prediction model which was calibrated with 26 full-scale accelerated and real pavement test sections. The calibration results indicate that the proposed model has achieved better prediction than the Asphalt Institute (AI) MS-1 fatigue prediction model. This model can be used in mechanistic-empirical pavement design and further refined upon verification.