Test Methods and Specifications

The test method specifies procedures for the characterisation of the stiffness and fatigue behaviour of bituminous mixtures using a four point bending test configuration. The test procedure to characterise the complex modulus is contained in Section 7 of this Austroads test method. The procedure to determine the fatigue performance is described in Section 8. Section 9 contains a method to develop a complex modulus master curve from modulus results obtained using the method in Section 7. The tests are performed on compacted bituminous material under a sinusoidal displacement controlled loading on prismatic specimens.

The modulus and fatigue characterisation tests can be run independently, or can be run consecutively on the same specimen, with the fatigue test following the modulus test.

The procedure is used:

1. to determine the modulus of the material at different temperatures and frequencies and to develop flexural modulus master curves
2. to rank bituminous mixtures based on stiffness and fatigue performance
3. as a guide to relative performance in the pavement
4. to obtain data for estimating the structural behaviour of the road
5. to judge test data according to specifications for bituminous mixtures.

Because this test method does not impose a particular type of testing device, the precise choice of the test conditions depends on the possibilities and the working range of the device used. For the choice of specific test conditions, the requirements of the product standards for bituminous mixtures need to be respected. The applicability of this Austroads test method is described in the product standards for bituminous mixtures.

This test method can also be downloaded as a Word document.