Influence of the Cohesive Zone Model Shape Parameter on Asphalt Concrete Fracture Behavior

Abstract

A cohesive zone model (CZM) has been effective in exploring fracture behavior in various materials. In general, the cohesive parameters associated with material strength and cohesive fracture energy are considered more important than a CZM softening shape. However, the influence of the CZM softening shape becomes significant as the relative size of the fracture process zone compared to the structure size increases, which is relevant for asphalt concrete and other quasi‐brittle materials. In this study, the power‐law CZM is employed to investigate the influence of the CZM softening shape on asphalt concrete fracture. Three dimensional disk‐shaped compact tension (DC(T)) test simulation is performed considering bulk (background) material viscoelasticity.