5th Eurasphalt & Eurobitume Congress, 13-15th June 2012, Istanbul P5EE-344 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE INDIRECT TENSILE STRENGTH TEST OF ASPHALT MIXTURES Kamilla L. Vasconcelos 1 , Liedi Bariani Bernucci 1 , José Mario Chaves 2 1 University of São Paulo 2 OHL Brazil ABSTRACT The indirect tensile test in diametral compression, also known as splitting test, is commonly used in Brazil to characterize asphalt mixtures, due to the rapid rate of conducting the test, and the ease of assembling the apparatus. The test method was initially proposed by Carneiro for estimating the tensile strength of cement-based materials. The tensile strength at failure is calculated using the theory of elasticity and neglecting the effect of multiaxial state of stress. Although the asphalt mixtures present elastic behavior only at extremely low temperatures, the Brazilian standard method to estimate the tensile strength of asphalt mixtures establishes the test temperature as 25C. This paper presents the tensile strenght results of different asphalt mixtures (HMA, SMA, Gap Graded and Porous Friction Course with neat and modified asphalt binders) determined at four test temperatures: 5C, 15C, 25C and 35C. The paper also evaluates the energy dissipated along the test, in an attempt to provide a better assessment of the asphalt mixture behavior, still in the mix design phase. Keywords: asphalt mixtures, indirect tensile strenght test, dissipated energy