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Cover of Investigations into Fatigue Cracking Performance Tests for Aged Bitumen
Investigations into Fatigue Cracking Performance Tests for Aged Bitumen
  • Publication no: AP-T393-26
  • ISBN: 978-1-923617-54-4
  • Published: 17 June 2026

This report details research undertaken to develop a new Austroads test method that provides a fundamental measure of aged bitumen fatigue cracking performance, with the broader goal of improving sprayed seal durability.

The report includes a literature review of international fatigue cracking tests to identify suitable dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests for the experimental program. The most promising tests identified in the literature review were then conducted on 4 unmodified bitumen samples and 15 polymer modified binders that had previously been subjected to asphalt fatigue tests. This enabled selection of a reference binder fatigue cracking test that showed the best correlation with asphalt fatigue life results.

The DSR time-sweep test was identified as a suitable reference binder fatigue cracking test and was used to assess the fatigue cracking performance of 9 bitumen samples after they were aged in a laboratory pressure ageing vessel (PAV) for 0, 30, 50 or 72 hours. The bitumen samples were also subjected to other DSR tests that could be performed in a shorter time than time-sweep tests.

The new aged bitumen fatigue cracking performance test developed in the project involves PAV ageing a 1 mm thick bitumen film for 72 hours and then measuring the complex modulus (G*) of the aged bitumen sample at 15 °C using a test frequency of 10 Hz. The new test could be used as an updated version of the traditional durability test.

  • Summary
  • 1. Introduction
    • 1.1 Project Background
    • 1.2 Purpose
    • 1.3 Scope
    • 1.4 Methodology
  • 2. Review of Candidate Binder Fatigue Cracking Performance Tests
    • 2.1 Introduction
    • 2.2 Time-sweep Tests
    • 2.3 Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) Tests
      • 2.3.1 Different Versions of the LAS Test Procedure and Potential Changes
    • 2.4 Glover-Rowe Parameter Tests
    • 2.5 Tc Parameter Tests
      • 2.5.1 Tc Parameter Determined using the BBR
      • 2.5.2 Tc Parameter Determined Using the DSR
    • 2.6 R-value and Crossover Frequency Tests
    • 2.7 Discussion
      • 2.7.1 Time-sweep Tests
      • 2.7.2 LAS Tests
      • 2.7.3 Glover-Rowe Parameter Tests
      • 2.7.4 Tc Parameter Tests
      • 2.7.5 R-value and Crossover Frequency Tests
      • 2.7.6 Summary of DSR Tests Used in Stage 1 of Experimental Work
  • 3. Stage 1: DSR Fatigue Performance of Unaged Binders – Experimental Design
    • 3.1 Binder Materials
    • 3.2 Binder Asphalt Fatigue Performance
    • 3.3 DSR Test Experimental Design
      • 3.3.1 DSR Equipment
      • 3.3.2 Sample Preparation
      • 3.3.3 Time-sweep Tests
      • 3.3.4 Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) Tests
      • 3.3.5 Glover-Rowe Parameter Tests
  • 4. Stage 1: DSR Fatigue Performance of Unaged Binders – Experimental Results
    • 4.1 Time-sweep Test Results
    • 4.2 LAS Test Results
    • 4.3 Glover-Rowe Parameter Test Results
    • 4.4 Discussion on DSR Fatigue Performance Tests
  • 5. Stage 2: Aged Bitumen Fatigue Performance – Experimental Design
    • 5.1 Bitumen Materials and Conventional Test Results
    • 5.2 Pressure Ageing Vessel (PAV) Ageing Methodology
    • 5.3 DSR Test Experimental Design
      • 5.3.1 Time-sweep Tests
      • 5.3.2 Glover-Rowe Parameter Tests
    • 5.4 Stress Ratio and Shell Sliding Plate Micro-viscometer Tests
  • 6. Stage 2: Aged Bitumen Fatigue Performance – Experimental Results
    • 6.1 Introduction
    • 6.2 Time-sweep Test Results
    • 6.3 Glover-Rowe Parameter Results
    • 6.4 Stress Ratio and Stress at 3 Strain Results
    • 6.5 Shell Sliding Plate Micro-viscometer Results
  • 7. Investigations Into the Test Conditions of the New QC Test to Rank the Fatigue Cracking Performance of Aged Bitumen
    • 7.1 Introduction
    • 7.2 Assessment of Parameters from Faster Tests than Time-sweep Tests to Rank the Fatigue Cracking Performance of Aged Bitumen
      • 7.2.1 Time-sweep Average Initial G* at 15 C Results
      • 7.2.2 Glover-Rowe Parameter at 15 C Results Obtained at Either 0.005 rad/s or 10 rad/s
      • 7.2.3 Stress at 3 Strain and 15 C Results and Shell Sliding Plate Micro-viscometer at 45 C Results
      • 7.2.4 G* at 15 C and 10 Hz Results or G*sin at 15 C and 10 rad/s Results
      • 7.2.5 Selection of a Quicker Test Parameter Than Time-sweep Tests
      • 7.2.6 Discussion
  • 8. Summary and Conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix A Time-sweep Test Results Obtained for the Stage 1 Binders
  • Appendix B Time-sweep Test Results Obtained for the Stage 2 Bitumen Samples
  • Appendix C G*(15 C, 10 Hz) and G*sin(15 C, 10 rad/s) Results Obtained for the Stage 2 Bitumen Samples
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