Cracking of asphalt pavement during service life is a common problem in all countries in the world, regardless of whether the base layer is flexible or semi-rigid. The danger of pavement cracks is that water continuously enters from the cracks, softening the base layer and even the roadbed, resulting in a decrease in the bearing capacity of the pavement, thereby accelerating pavement damage.
The main reasons for asphalt pavement cracking can be divided into two categories: one is the structural damage cracks caused by the driving load, which are generally called load-type cracks. The other is mainly due to temperature changes in the asphalt pavement temperature cracks, including low temperature shrinkage cracks and fatigue cracks, generally known as non-load cracks.
As my country's current asphalt pavement design specification stipulates or recommends the use of semi-rigid base for asphalt pavement. Therefore, there are still reflective cracks or corresponding cracks in the asphalt surface layer caused by temperature shrinkage cracks or dry shrinkage cracks in the semi-rigid base. Such cracks are mainly non-loaded, and in some cases may also be completed by temperature and load.