Mechanical performance of rehabilitated bituminous layers with paving fabric under cyclic loading

The application of paving fabric along with a fresh asphalt overlay has proved its effectiveness in terms of delaying the propagation of reflective cracks. Nevertheless, this application requires an in-depth knowledge of its mechanical performance under cyclic loading during the design life. In this context, rutting resistance and fatigue failure are commonly employed as major performance criteria in mechanistic-based design methods. The objective of this study was to understand the necessary changes in distress prediction models embedded in mechanistic design methods in the presence of paving fabric. Rutting resistance was evaluated using the French Laboratory Rut Tester (FLRT) device and adhesion bond at the interface was studied via a method initially developed in Département de Génie Civil et Bâtiment (DGCB). The results showed that the composite structures including paving fabric had lower rutting resistance, especially at higher number of cycles, but 30 percent enhanced adhesion bond at the interface.