Fracture damage evaluation of asphalt mixtures using Semi-Circular Bending test based on fracture energy approach

•Studied fracture phenomenon of asphalt mixes using fracture mechanics principles.•Used monotonic Semi-Circular Bending test database covering nineteen asphalt mixes.•Formulated and deduced a set of fracture damage parameters based on EPFM approach.•Developed robust fracture damage predictive models using asphalt mixture properties.•Conceptualized fracture damage evaluation technique to analyse asphalt cracking.

This research investigated fracture damage of conventional dense and modified gap- and open-graded asphalt mixes using Semi-Circular Bending test. Fracture damage parameters were formulated and deduced from load-crack mouth opening displacement relationship and used to estimate fracture damage based on Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics. Dissipated energy for modified mixes were 1.5–2 times greater than conventional mixes. Damage parametric models were developed based on material properties’ energy based behaviour. It was clearly found that Semi-Circular Bending test is a truly promising quality control tool, and the Elastic Plastic Fracture Mechanics concept is a potential numerical approach towards comprehensively understanding fracture mechanism.