FABAC accelerated loading test of bond between cement overlay and asphalt layers

This paper focuses on an experimental mechanical study of the bond fatigue life of composite (concrete over asphalt) pavements. This in-situ experiments is based on the use of an accelerated pavements testing facility (FABAC fatigue device). With the support of the French cement industry, a pavement section similar to an Ultra Thin White-topping structure has been realized at the LCPC-Nantes Center. Vertical joints of plain concrete have been loaded up to one million cycles. A non destructive seismic method, COLIBRI device, has been used to follow the interface debounding. Combined with core observations, it is possible to propose the accelerated fatigue damage scenario of such a composite pavement. The bond as well as the layers has been damaged by fatigue. These damages depend on temperature conditions wheel positions and interface treatments. Specific modeling and laboratory fatigue tests are proposed to be developed to deepen the knowledge of these deteriorations.