Abstract
Reflective cracking is identified as the main weakness of composite pavement in airfield and highways forcing the authorities to devote a large portion of their budget to rehabilitation and/or reconstruction of the existing composite pavements. It is, therefore, very important to have a better understanding of the reflective cracking mechanism to propose the most effective remedial solution(s), which corresponds to that mode of failure. Moreover, it is inevitable to develop a proper constitutive model, which can simulate the reflective cracking performance of the composite pavements as close as possible to the field conditions. The key step to develop such a model, would be therefore, identifying the current gaps within the literature to facilitate further developments and improvements in those areas. This paper is the outcome of a comprehensive literature review which was carried out as part of a current research project, to better understand the problem and identify the gaps within the literature. Three major gaps in terms of required laboratory testing setups, potential improvements in retardation approaches and development of proper numerical models have been identified by the authors which will be further discussed in this paper.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. Martin, Long live your airport’s pavement. (Ineco Transport and Engineering Consultancy, 2016), https://www.revistaitransporte.com/long-live-your-airports-pavement/. Accessed 31 December 2019.
G. White, State of the art: Asphalt for airport pavement surfacing. Inter. J. Pave. Res. Tech. 11 (1) (2018) 77–98.
S. Deilami, G. White, Review of reflective cracking mechanisms and mitigations for airport pavements, 28th Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) International Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 2018.
A. Vanelstraete, L. Francken. Prevention of Reflective Cracking in Pavements. State-of-the-Art Report of RILEM Technical Committee 157 PRC, Systems to Prevent Reflective Cracking in Pavements. Report Number 18. Belgian Road Research Centre, Brussels, Belgium, 1997.
Y. Mehta, D. Cleary, A. Ali, Field cracking performance of airfield rigid pavement, J. Traffic Transp. Eng. 4 (4) (2017) 380–387.
E. B. Owusu-Antwi, L. Khazanovich, L. Titus-Glover, Mechanistic-based model for predicting reflective cracking in asphalt concrete-overlaid pavements, Transp. Res. Rec. 1629 (1) (1998) 234–241.
J. Cook, S. Ellis, Reflection cracking on airfield pavement-a design guide for assessment, treatment selection and future minimisation, 1st edn. Defence Estates, West Midlands, 2005.
C. Chen, Evaluation of Iowa asphalt pavement joint cracking, (Graduate Theses and Dissertations), Report Number 13925. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 2014.
M. Elseifi, I. L. Al-Qadi, J. Greene, Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies for Reflective Cracking in Rehabilitated Pavements (Transportation Research Board, 2015), http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/webinars/150824.pdf. Accessed 31 December 2019.
Y. Huang, Pavement Analysis and Design. 2nd edn. Pearson Education, New Jersey, 2004.
J. L. Beak, I. L. Al-Qadi, W. Butt, Reflective Cracking Control, 6th RILEM International Conference on Cracking in Pavements. Chicago, Illinois, 2008.
A. Gautam, Tolerable Strains for HMA Overlays over Concrete Pavements, (Engineering Dissertations and Theses). Report Number 705. School of Engineering, University of Kansas, Kansas, 2009.
R. C. Williams, C. Chen, A. Buss, Reflective Crack Mitigation Guide for Flexible Pavements, InTrans Project Reports. Report Number IHRB Project TR-641. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 2015.
F. L. Roberts, P. S. Kandhal, E. R. Brown, D. Lee, T. W. Kennedy, Hot-mix Asphalt Materials, Mixture Design, and Construction, 2nd edn. National Asphalt Pavement Association, Lanham, 1996.
M. Elseifi, R. Bandaru, Cost Effective Prevention of Reflective Cracking in Composite Pavements. Report Number FHWA/LA.11/478. Louisiana Transportation Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 2011.
D. Jones, B. Tsai, P. Ullidtz, R. Wu, J. Harvey, C. Monismith, Reflective Cracking Study: Second-Level Analysis Report. Pavement Research Center. Report Number UCPRC-RR-2007-09. University of California, Davis, California, 2007.
H. L. Von Quintus, J. Mallela, W. Weiss, S. Shen, R. L. Lytton, Techniques for Mitigation of Reflective Cracks. Airfield Asphalt Pavement Technology Program. Report Number AAPTP 05-04. Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 2009.
N. Dhakala, M. A. Elseifi, Z. Zhang, Mitigation strategies for reflection cracking in rehabilitated pavements — A synthesis, Inter. J. Pave. Res. Tech. 9 (3) (2016) 228–239.
S. J. Ellis, P.C. Langdale, J. Cook, Performance of Techniques to Minimise Reflection Cracking and Associated Developments in Pavement Investigation for Maintenance of Uk Military Airfields, Federal Aviation Administration Airport Technology Transfer Conference (May), Atlantic City, USA, 2002.
B. Yu, Q. Lu, J. Yang, Evaluation of anti-reflective cracking measures by laboratory test, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 14 (6) (2013) 533–560.
A. Vanelstraete, L. Francken, Laboratory testing and numerical modelling of overlay systems on slabs, Third International RILEM Conference, Maastricht, Netherlands, 1996.
J. W. Button, R. L. Lytton, Guidelines for Using Geosynthetics with Hot-Mix Asphalt Overlays to Reduce Reflective Cracking, Transp. Res. Rec. 2004 (1) (2007) 111–119.
S. Fallah, A. Khodaii, Evaluation of Parameters Affecting Reflection Cracking in Geogrid-Reinforced Overlay, J. Central South Univer. 22 (3) (2015) 1016–1025.
C. A. Monser, G. E. Montestruque, A. E. F. Silva, Evaluation of an airport pavement after almost 8 years of overlay rehabilitation with a polyester geogrid asphalt reinforcement, 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics, Guarujá, Brazil, 2010.
G. E. Montestruque, R. Rodrigues, M. Nods, A. Elsing, Stop of Reflective Crack Propagation with the Use of Pet Geogrid as Asphalt Overlay Reinforcement, 5th International RILEM Conference. Limoges, France, 2004.
G. E. Montestruque, Contribuição para a Elaboração de Método de Projeto de Restauração de Pavimentos Asfálticos Utilizando Geossintéticos em Sistemas AntiReflexão de Trincas [Contribution to the Elaboration of a Design Method for the Restoration of Asphalt Pavements Using Geosynthetics in Anti-Crack Reflection Systems], (PhD Thesis), Technological Institute of Aeronautics, São José dos Campos, Brazil, 2002.
F. Leite-Gembus, G. Thomson, C. A. Teoro Do Carmo, Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation by using a High Modulus Plyester Grid as Asphalt Reinforcement, 8th International Conference on Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Pavements, Singapore, 2016.
G. White, State of the art: interface shear resistance of asphalt surface layers, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 18 (10) (2018) 887–901.
Asphalt Academy, Technical Guideline, Asphalt Reinforcement for Road Construction, 1st edn. Asphalt Academy, Pretoria, 2008.
D. H. Chen, T. Scullion, J. Bilyeu, Lessons Learned on Jointed Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies in Texas, J. Transp. Eng. 132 (3) (2006) 257–265.
J. J. Hughes, E. Somers, Geogrid Mesh for Reflective Crack Control in Bituminous Overlays. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Report Number PA 200-013-86-001. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Materials and Testing Division, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 2000.
A. Khodaii, S. Fallah, F. Moghadas Nejad, Effects of geosynthetics on reduction of reflection cracking in asphalt overlays, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 27 (1) (2009) 1–8.
F. Moreno-Navarro, M. Sol-Sánchez, M. C. Rubio-Gámez, Reuse of deconstructed tires as anti-reflective cracking mat systems in asphalt pavements, Constr. Buil. Mater. 53 (2014) 182–189.
F. Moreno-Navarro, M. C. Rubio-Gámez, UGR-FACT test for the study of fatigue cracking in bituminous mixes, Constr. Buil. Mater. 43 (2013) 184–190.
I. Gonzalez-Torre, M. A. Calzada-Perez, A. Vega-Zamanillo, D. Castro-Fresno, Evaluation of reflective cracking in pavements using a new procedure that combine loads with different frequencies, Constr. Buil. Mater. 75 (2015) 368–374.
K. T. Hall, J. M. Connor, S. H. Carpenter, M. I. Darter, Rehabilitation of concrete pavements: Concrete pavement evaluation and rehabilitation system. Office of Engineering and Highway Operations Research and Development. Report Number FHWA-RD-88-073. Federal Highway Administration, McLean, Virginia, 1989.
J. Li, S. T. Muench, J. P. Mahoney, L. M. Pierce, N. Sivaneswaran, Mechanistic-empirical design of new and rehabilitated pavement structures, Final Report. NCHRP 1-37A. ARA, Inc., ERES Consultants Division, Champaign, Illinois, 2004.
D. Roylance, Introduction to Fracture Mechanics. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2001.
F. Zhou, S. Hu, X. Hu, T. Scullion, M. Mikhail, L. F. Walubita, Development, Calibration, and Verification of a New Mechanistic-Empirical Reflective Cracking Model for HMA Overlay Thickness Design and Analysis, J. Transp. Eng. 136 (4) (2010) 353–369.
K. Majidzadeh, E. M. Kauffmann, D. V. Ramsamooj, Application of fracture mechanics in the analysis of pavement fatigue, Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Conference, 1970.
M. M. J. Jacob, P. C. Hopman, P. C., A. A. A. Molenaar, Application of fracture mechanics in principles to analyze cracking in asphalt concrete, Asphalt Paving Technology Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, 1996.
B. Mobasher, M. Mamlouk, H. Lin, Evaluation of crack propagation properties of asphalt mixtures, J. Transp. Eng. 123 (5) (1997) 405–413.
D. Ramsamooj, Prediction of Fatigue Life of Asphalt Concrete Beams from Fracture tests, J. Test. Eval. 19 (3) (1991) 231–239.
P. Paris, F. Erdogan, A critical analysis of crack propagation laws, J. Basic Engineering, 85(3) (1963) 528–883.
Y. Li, Asphalt Pavement Fatigue Cracking Modeling, (LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses). Report Number 6999, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1999.
N. Pugno, M. Ciavarella, P. Cornetti, A. Carpinteri, A generalized Paris’ law for fatigue crack growth, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 54 (7) (2006) 1333–1349.
R. A. Schapery, A theory of crack growth in viscoelastic media. Mechanics and Materials Research Center. Report Number MM 2764-73-1. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 1973.
R. A. Schapery, A Theory of Crack Initiation and Growth in Viscoelastic Media, Inter. J. Fracture 11 (3) (1975) 369–388.
R. A. Schapery, A Method for Predicting Crack Growth in Nonhomogeneous Viscoelastic Media, Inter. J. Fracture, 14 (3) (1978) 293–309.
G. P. Cherepanov, The propagation of cracks in a continuous media, J. Appl. Math. Mech. 31 (3) (1967) 476–488.
J. R. Rice, A Path Independent Integral and the Approximate Analysis of Strain Concentration by Notches and Cracks, J. Appl. Mech. 35 (2) (1968) 379–386.
N. Li, Asphalt Mixture Fatigue Testing, Influence of Test Type and Specimen Size. Road and Railway Engineering Section, (PhD thesis), Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands, 2013.
F. P. Germann, R. L. Lytton, Methodology for predicting the reflection cracking life of asphalt concrete overlays. Texas Transportation Institute. Report Number FHWA/TX-79-/09 +207-5. Texas A&M University, Texas, 1979.
A. A. A. Molenaar, Fatigue and reflection cracking due to traffic Loads, Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Conference, 1984.
P. W. Jayawickrama, R. L. Lytton, Methodology for predicting asphalt concrete overlay life against reflection cracking, International Conference of Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, Michigan, 1987.
A. H. de Bondt, Anti-Reflective Cracking Design of (Reinforced) Asphaltic Overlays, (Ph.D. thesis), Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands, 1999.
I. L. Al-Qadi, M. Elseifi, D. Leonard, Development of an Overlay Design Model for Reflective Cacking with and without Steel Reinforcement, Asphalt Paving Technology Conference, Lexington, Kentucky, 2003.
H. Lee, H. Y. Kim, Viscoelastic constitutive model for asphalt concrete under cyclic loading, J. Eng. Mech. 124 (1) (1988) 32–40.
H. Lee, H. Y. Kim, Viscoelastic continuum damage model of asphalt concrete with healing, J. Eng. Mech. 124 (11) (1988) 1224–1232.
P. Karki, R. Li, A. Bhasin, Quantifying overall damage and healing behaviour of asphalt materials using continuum damage approach, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 16 (4) (2015) 350–362.
M. Kutay, M. Lanotte, Viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) models for cracking problems in asphalt mixtures, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 19 (3) (2018) 231–242.
Y. Su, H. Asadi, H. Nikraz, VECD investigation and quantification of rest period healing within pulse-rest loading, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. (2019), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10298436.2019.1566543.
F. L. Tsai, Prediction of Reflective Cracking in Hot Mix Asphalt Overlays. Office of Graduate Studies, (PhD Thesis), Texas A & M University, Texas, 2010.
R. Wu, J. T. Harvey, C. L. Monismith, W. G. Buttlar, E. Masad, A. H.de Bondt, B. Huang, G. Chehab, I. L. Al-Qadi, J. Wang, Towards a mechanistic model for reflective cracking in asphalt concrete overlays, Association of Asphalt Paving Technology Conference, Savannah, Georgia, 2006.
R. H. J. Peerlings, R. de Borst, W. A. M. Brekelmans, J. H. P. de Vree, Gradient Enhanced Damage for Quasi-Brittle Materials, Inter. J. Numerical Methods Eng. 39 (19) (1996) 3391–3403.
G. I. Barenblatt, The mathematical theory of equilibrium cracks in brittle fracture, Adv. Appl. Mech. 7 (1962) 55–129.
D. S. Dugdale. Yielding of steel sheets containing slits, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 8 (2) (1960) 100–104.
Z. P. Bazant, J. Planas, Fracture and size effect in concrete and other quasi-brittle materials, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 1998.
Y. R. Kim, Cohesive Zone Model to Predict Fracture in Bituminous Materials and Asphaltic Pavements: State-of-the-Art Review, Inter. J. Pavement Eng. 12 (4) (2013) 343–356.
K. Park, Potential-Based Fracture Mechanics Using Cohesive Zone and Virtual Internal Bond Modeling. Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, (PhD Thesis), Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, 2009.
S. H. Song, G. H. Paulino, W. G. Buttler, A bilinear cohesive zone model tailored for fracture of asphalt concrete considering viscoelastic bulk material, Eng. Fracture Mech. 73 (18) (2006) 2829–2848.
S. H. Song, G. H. Paulino, W. G. Buttler, Simulation of Crack Propagation in Asphalt Concrete Using an Intrinsic Cohesive Zone Model, J. Eng. Mech. 132 (11) (2006) 1215–1223.
V. Tvergaard, Effect of fiber debonding in a whisker-reinforced metal, Mater. Sci. Eng. 125 (2) (1990) 203–213.
X. Xu, A. Needleman, Numerical simulations of fast crack growth in brittle solids, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 42 (9) (1994) 1397–1434.
G. T. Camacho, M. Ortiz, Computational modelling of impact damage in brittle materials, Inter. J. Solids Struct. 33 (20–22) (1996) 2899–2938.
J. B. Soares, F. A. C. de Freitas, D. H. Allen, Crack modeling of asphaltic mixtures considering heterogeneity of the material, Transp. Res. Rec. 1832 (1) (2003) 113–120.
G. H. Paulino, S. H. Song, W. G. Buttler, Cohesive zone modeling of fracture in asphalt concrete, 5th International RILEM conference, Limoges, France, 2004.
E. V. Dave, S. H. Song, W. G. Buttlar, G. Paulino, Reflective and thermal cracking modeling of asphalt concrete overlays, International Conference on Advanced Characterisation of Pavement and Soil Engineering Materials, Athens, Greece, 2007.
Y. R. Kim, F. A. C. de Freitas, J. S. Jung, Y. Sim, Characterization of bitumen fracture using tensile tests incorporated with viscoelastic cohesive zone model, Constr. Buil. Mater. 88 (2015) 1–9.
D. H. Allen, C. R. Searcy, A micromechanical model for a viscoelastic cohesive zone, Inter. J. Fract. 107 (2) (2001) 159–176.
K. Z. Rami, S. Amelian, Y. R. Kim, T. You, D. N. Little, Modeling the 3D fracture-associated behavior of viscoelastic asphalt mixtures using 2D microstructures, Eng. Fract. Mech. 182 (2017) 86–99.
T. Belytschko, T. Black, Elastic crack growth in finite elements with minimal remeshing, Inter. J. Numerical Methods Eng. 45 (5) (1999) 601–620.
C.S. Desai, Unified DSC constitutive model for pavement materials with numerical implementation, Inter. J. Geomech. 7 (2) (2007) 83–101.
M. R. Islam, J. Meghan, P. Vallejo, R. A. Tarefder, Crack Propagation in Hot Mix Asphalt Overlay Using Extended Finite-Element Model, J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 29 (5) (2017). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001815.
X. Wang, K. Li, Y. Zhong, Q. Xu, Investigation of Thermal Reflective Cracking in Asphalt Pavement Using XFEM Coupled with DFLUX Subroutine and FILM Subroutine, Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 44 (5) (2018) 4795–4805.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Society of Pavement Engineering.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Deilami, S., White, G. Review of reflective cracking in composite pavements. Int. J. Pavement Res. Technol. 13, 524–535 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0332-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0332-5