This European Standard specifies the methods for characterizing the fatigue of bituminous mixtures using alternative tests, including bending tests and direct and indirect tensile tests. The tests are performed on compacted bituminous material under a sinusoidal loading or other controlled loading, using different types of specimens and supports.
The procedure is used:
a) to rank bituminous mixtures on the basis of resistance to fatigue;
b) as a guide to relative performance in the pavement;
c) to obtain data for estimating the structural behaviour of the road; and
d) to judge test data according to specifications for bituminous mixtures.
Because this European Standard 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 document is described in the product standards for bituminous mixtures.