Investigation of the low-temperature properties and cracking resistance of fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete using the DIC technique

Fibers have been commonly used to enhance the cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures. However, the reinforcing actions of different fibers have presented diverse effects. Therefore, three kinds of fibers, including glass fibers, basalt fibers and steel fibers, were selected to investigate their influences on the low temperature properties and cracking resistance of asphalt mixtures in this paper. Indirect tensile testing (IDT) was conducted to obtain basic properties such as the Poisson's ratio and moduli. The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was employed to measure the deformation and strain. The crack inhibition action was evaluated by the failure time. The results showed that the fiber type has no influence on the Poisson's ratio of the mixture. However, the addition of fibers remarkably affects the mixture modulus. The modulus and ultimate tensile strength of the reinforced mixture decline after the addition of fibers. The gaps between the compressive and tensile moduli are also increased by the addition of fibers. Moreover, the addition of fibers not only substantially improves the mixture ductility but also delays the fracture process. The fiber reinforced asphalt concrete (FRAC) presents a higher fracture energy (FE) and dissipated creep strain energy (DCSE) than that of the control concrete. Among the selected fibers, basalt fibers exhibit optimal crack resistance performance, while steel fibers are not recommended due to their smooth appearance.