Case Studies in Construction Materials (Jun 2022)
The fracture toughness analysis on the basalt fiber reinforced asphalt concrete with prenotched three-point bending beam test
Abstract
In this study, the fracture resistance of the basalt fiber reinforced asphalt concrete (BFRAC) constructed in The Republic of Mozambique was investigated with prenotched three-point bending beam tests. Fracture energy and the double-parameter fracture model, i.e., initial fracture toughness (Ki), and ultimate fracture toughness (Ku), were utilized to evaluate the fracture behaviors of BFRAC. The test results indicate that the double-parameter fracture model proposes more rational and convincing explanations to the BFRAC over the fracture energy. According to the double-parameter fracture model, a remarkable enhancement on fracture resistance of BFRACs with 4.5% and 5.0% ratios achieved as the fiber content increased while a gradual increase exhibited for the fracture resistance of BFRAC with 4.0% b/a ratio and 0.2% fiber. It indicates that the fracture resistance of BFRAC will be enhanced with the increase of the basalt fiber dosages as long as the asphalt volume is enough for wrapping aggregates and basalt fiber, causing more cohesive and adhesive capacity.
