摘要: |
Application of fracture mechanics concepts developed in various branches of engineering to the pavement problem can address current limitations, thereby advancing considerably existing pavement design procedures. The state of the art in fracture mechanics applications to pavement engineering is summarized, and an in-depth discussion of one of the major concerns in such applications, the specimen-size effect, is provided. It is concluded that the fictitious crack model proposed by Hillerborg appears most promising for computerized application to pavements. The similitude concepts developed by Bache will be very useful in such efforts. Both the desirability and the scarcity of suitable candidates to replace Miner's cumulative linear fatigue hypothesis in conventional pavement design are confirmed. Fracture mechanics is shown to be a very promising engineering discipline from which innovations could be transplanted to pavement activities. Nonetheless, it is pointed out that rather slow progress characterizes fracture mechanics developments in general. Pavement engineers clearly need to remain abreast of and involved in fracture mechanics activities. |