Better Assessment of Bituminous Materials Lifetime Accounting for the Influence of Rest Periods

ABSTRACT Fatigue life of bituminous mixes is analyzed through two-points bending fatigue tests, the experimental protocol having been modified such as to manage rest periods. Fatigue sequences and rest sequences are analyzed and the parameters enabling to quantify the variation of stiffness with time (during rest) or loading (during fatigue) are defined and modeled. It is shown that the re-damaging rate is a good indicator of non-recoverable damage. Varying the experimental parameters that drive damage evolution, the respective weights of fatigue and healing are addressed.