Predicting fracture behavior (mixed-modes I/III) of cement asphalt mortar under fatigue and static loading conditions using response surface method

Abstract

Static and cyclic fracture properties (Modes I, III, and I/III) of cement emulsified asphalt mortar at three frequencies were investigated in terms of the fracture energy and fatigue life, respectively. For this to achieve, 576 edge notched disk bend specimens with 16 haphazard mix designs including, disparate bitumen-to-cement (B/C), water-to-cement (W/C) ratios, and cement contents (C) were tested. By developing statistical models (at the 5% significance level, p value < 0.05), the findings revealed that under static loading, the fracture energy got highest in tearing mode and lowest in opening mode. In all fracture modes, the fracture energy decreased with an increase of C and decrease of B/C while the mortar's fatigue life augmented due to a rise in C and B/C. Moreover, the fatigue life gained an increase with the increase in the fracture energy, loading frequency, and M-e in the nonlinear trend. The utmost variation of fatigue life was explained with the increase of fracture energy which had the greatest effect in mode-III loading.