Page | 87 Available online at http://arjournal.org ISSN: 2423-4796 Applied Research Journal Vol. 3, Issue, 2, pp.87-95, February, 2017 *Corresponding author: Abdulhaq Hadi Abedali, Email: abdulhaq1969@uomustansiriyah.edu.iq Al-Mustansiriya University, Faculty of Engineering, Highway and Transportation Engineering Dept, Iraq. APPLIED RESEARCH JOURNAL RESEARCH ARTICLE NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ASPHALT BINDER BLISTER TEST * Abdulhaq Hadi Abedali, Nagham Tarq and Fatin Hadi Meqtoof Al-Mustansiriya University, Faculty of Engineering, Highway and Transportation Engineering Dept, Iraq. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article History: Received: 21, January, 2017 Final Accepted: 03, March, 2017 Published Online: 10, March, 2017 The finite element computer program ANSYS (Ver.15.0) used to simulate the bonding strength between asphalt and aggregate in the blister test. The height of asphalt blister (air bubble within the asphalt layer) is calculated. The height of asphalt binder is analyzed when the thin film of asphalt binder begins to displacement from aggregate substrate (aggregate disc) .In order to simulate the behavior of bonding strength between substrate (aggregate disc) and adhesive layer (thin film asphalt binder), a linear finite element analysis has been carried out to analysis all adopted models. Three models of substrate –adhesive layer were used in this study to explain the adhesion and bond strength between aggregate disc and thin film asphalt binder and calculation the interfacial fracture energy required to displacement asphalt from aggregate disc by applied air pressure at interface between them. Three thickness of thin film asphalt binder that used in these models. The accuracy of the finite element models is determined by compression the results of displacement obtained from ANSYS (ver.15.0) program with results of experimental work. The results of simulation show a good agreement with the experimental result. © Copy Right, ARJ, 2017. All rights reserved Key words: Blister test, Interfacial fracture, Thin film, Aggregate substrate, Bonding strength, Coefficient of thermal expansion. 1. INTRODUCTION New blister test was conducted by device was manufactured locally to measured bond strength of asphalt binder. The aggregate used in work was limestone rock. The limestone rock core sample was cut in slices to achieve the torus discs then the center hole was cut through the aggregate disc [1]. The inner and outer diameters were respectively 10 mm and 85 mm and thickness was 15mm. The mold used in the blister device manufactured is cylindrical shape of compact plastic hollow from the middle and connect with air source processing by metallic tube. The blister test procedure including, air is injected at the interface surface between substrate (aggregate disc) and the adhesive layer (asphalt binder layer) to create the asphalt blister. Air pressure (applied load) and asphalt blister height (displacement) are recorded as a function of time. When the air pressure is applied on the contact area of asphalt layer the height of the blister begin increase until pressure reaches its maximum level .At this point the pressure begins to decrease while the height keeps increasing (because the specimen was failed in adhesion ).Deformation (asphalt blister height )under pressure (air pressure)is used to calculate the adhesion strength ,or interfacial fracture energy[2,3,4]. The interfacial fracture energy required to displacement the thin film of asphalt binder from the aggregate disc was decrease when the thickness of asphalt layer increases. The interfacial fracture energy extracted from the blister test, as a measure of adhesion strength, can serve to define an acceptable threshold for bituminous material bond strength. In this work, it was done the simulation of the proposed system to calculation the value of the interfacial fracture energy required to displacement asphalt binder by using the finite element computer program ANSYS (Ver.15.0) to represent the failure by comparison the value of the vertical displacement of the asphalt binder and assuming that the behavior of the asphaltic material as elastic material.