Investigation into the force chain transmission mechanism of asphalt mixture under indirect tensile mode

Since the correlation between the meso-structure composition and force chain transmission of asphalt mixtures, it has a significant impact on the evaluation and utilization of their material properties. Based on the discrete element method, this paper studied the internal force chains transmission mechanism of asphalt mixture under indirect tensile mode, and quantitatively analyzed the composition and distribution of the force chains. An aggregate template library for asphalt mixture was constructed using image segmentation and clump generation algorithm. Indirect tensile simulation was achieved by assigning relevant parameters, indicating a good correlation with laboratory tests. The tensile and compressive chain fields inside asphalt mixtures were visualized and characterized. The concept of strong and weak force chains was proposed, and statistical methods was used to analyze the strength, distribution, and evolution of force chains. The force transfer mechanisms of different components of asphalt mixtures have been elucidated, providing a research tool for their structural design and performance evaluation.