ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Asphalt stiffness and fatigue properties are important inputs for a mechanistic pavement design. In the Netherlands these properties are traditionally determined by 4 Point Bending tests (4PB). In this paper the accuracy of that test is discussed on the basis of Finite Element Modelling (FEM) for a specific 4PB device. It is shown that application of the European-standard results in an underestimation of the stiffness by 3.2% (at 7500 MPa) and an underestimation of the phase lag by 0.4◦ (lag = 20◦ and 20 Hz.). It is shown that a thorough FEM analysis of the 4PB may reduce these errors to a stiffness that is underestimated by 0.88% and a phase lag which is overestimated by 0.1◦. This project emphasizes the benefits of a FEM modelling of a 4PB device in combination with calibration tests.
