Investigating the Crack Initiation and Propagation of Asphalt Binder in Linear Amplitude Sweep Test

Energy-based characterization of the fatigue crack density evolution of asphalt binders through controlled-stress fatigue testing

“…The photographic technique is an effective way to visualize the crack length of an asphalt binder sample under different loading cycles, and related studies have shown that circumferential hairline cracks generated at the periphery of a sample (crack initiation) and propagated inward (crack propagation), resulting in a decrease of the effective sample radius [1,4]. In order to understand the evolution of fatigue cracks and accurately evaluate the damage degree of an asphalt binder sample, the crack length of formulation has been derived from the stress and strain [1,[5][6] or developed according to damage mechanics principles [7][8][9]. At the beginning of a fatigue test, the fatigue crack damage degree shows a sharp increase due to molecular rearrangements [10][11], microcrack nucleation [12], and circumferential crack formation [5,7].…”

Nanoscale Enhancement of the Local Optical Conductivity near Cracks in Metallic SrRuO3 Film

“…With the rapid developments of nanoscale measurement techniques, there has been noteworthy attention on nanocracks. Since nanocracks propagate and grow into larger cracks during subsequent fatigue processes and/or higher applied forces, − studies on nanocracks could have significant importance to many applications. In addition, some researchers have utilized nanocracks themselves in nanopatterning, nanofluidic, and thermoelectric device applications …”