Improvement of a laboratory reflective cracking test by mean of the LCPC's APT FABAC machine

This experimental and numerical study concerns the maintenance and reinforcement of damaged pavements by mean of bituminous overlays. Its main objective is the improvement of the techniques used for pavement rehabilitation. In this domain, one of the major problems observed is the frequent incidence of reflective cracking over the top asphalted new layer. One experiment has been adapted then to evaluate this kind of damage on a small track in a full scale test using an Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT) machine. The experience made with this APT facility (FABAC) is the next step in the way to improve a laboratory test : the so called MEFISTO. This laboratory test equipment allows the evaluation of the behaviour of bituminous layers confronted to reflective cracking damage mechanisms. In order to determine the loading protocols of this machine, the results of the full scale test are compared to numerical calculations made with the 3D FEM software of the LCPC(CESAR)