Application of resonant acoustic spectroscopy to asphalt concrete beams for determination of the dynamic modulus

In this paper, a new application of resonant acoustic spectroscopy (RAS) is examined for constructing asphalt concrete mastercurves from seismic testing. The frequency-dependent material properties can be characterized from multiple modes of vibration through the use of RAS. Beam-shaped asphalt specimens are tested at multiple temperatures to determine the resonance frequencies of the specimens. The resonance frequencies are estimated by applying a small load impulse and measuring the resulting acceleration through the specimens. Using RAS, the material properties of the specimens are determined numerically using the measured resonance frequencies. The results presented show that the frequency-dependent dynamic modulus of the asphalt concrete specimens can be characterized using several modes of vibration at each testing temperature.