Ma Jin, Chen Jiaqi, Tang Mingfeng, Liu Yu
Guangxi Communication Investment Technology Co., Ltd., Nanning 530001, China.
Guangxi Expressway Maintenance Engineering Technology Research Center, Nanning 530001, China.
Materials (Basel). 2025 May 17;18(10):2337. doi: 10.3390/ma18102337.
Salts can have detrimental effects on asphalt pavements, leading to permanent damage that compromises their durability and sustainability. This study investigates the damage mechanisms of asphalt pavements under coupled salt-thermal-mechanical effects using multi-scale modeling. Pull-off and semicircular bending (SCB) tests were conducted to determine material parameters and validate numerical models. Experimental data demonstrated that after 48 h of salt treatment at -10 °C, specimens exhibited reductions in cohesive strength ranging from 23.5% to 26% and adhesive strength decreasing by 25% to 44% compared to untreated controls. More severe degradation was observed at 0 °C, with cohesive strength diminishing by up to 63.8% and adhesive strength declining by up to 71.6%. A multi-scale finite element (FE) pavement model incorporating cohesive zone modeling (CZM) was developed to simulate damage behavior within asphalt concrete. Salt diffusion analysis revealed limited penetration depth within short exposure periods, and results showed that salt penetration reached only about 10 mm into the pavement layers after 48 h. Results indicated significant reductions in adhesive and cohesive strengths due to salt exposure, with damage susceptibility increasing under combined thermal fluctuations and mechanical loading. Additionally, the effects of moving load magnitude and speed on pavement damage were examined, showing higher damage accumulation at lower speeds and heavier loads. This research provides insights into pavement deterioration mechanisms, contributing to improved durability and maintenance strategies for asphalt pavements in salt environments.
盐分会对沥青路面产生有害影响，导致永久性损害，从而损害其耐久性和可持续性。本研究采用多尺度建模方法，研究了盐-热-机械耦合作用下沥青路面的损伤机制。进行了拉拔试验和半圆弯曲（SCB）试验，以确定材料参数并验证数值模型。实验数据表明，在-10°C下进行48小时的盐处理后，与未处理的对照相比，试样的内聚强度降低了23.5%至26%，粘结强度降低了25%至44%。在0°C时观察到更严重的降解，内聚强度降低高达63.8%，粘结强度降低高达71.6%。开发了一个包含粘结区模型（CZM）的多尺度有限元（FE）路面模型，以模拟沥青混凝土内部的损伤行为。盐扩散分析表明，在短暴露时间内渗透深度有限，结果表明，48小时后盐渗透到路面层的深度仅约为10毫米。结果表明，由于盐暴露，粘结强度和内聚强度显著降低，在热波动和机械荷载共同作用下，损伤敏感性增加。此外，还研究了移动荷载大小和速度对路面损伤的影响，结果表明，在较低速度和较重荷载下，损伤累积程度更高。本研究为路面劣化机制提供了见解，有助于改进盐环境中沥青路面的耐久性和养护策略。
