This study develops a fracture energy-based finite element model to assess top-down cracking (TDC) in asphalt pavements, integrating aging, healing, and interlayer bonding effects through viscoelastic fracture mechanics. Computational analyses of typical Chinese materials and structures reveal that SMA-13 surface layers improve TDC resistance by 19.8% compared to conventional AC-25 mixtures in 17 cm thick pavements. Thicker asphalt layers (20 cm) extend crack initiation life by 16.2% under standard axle loads. UV radiation reduces TDC life by 1.55–2.60%, concentrating 82% of cracks in wheel-path zones. Anti-aging agents restore 47% of fracture energy loss, maintaining stable energy dissipation ratios (EDR > 0.75) beyond 50 months. Poor bonding consumes 19.1% of TDC life, with crack density in wheel paths 3.2× higher than in non-wheel areas. Critical thresholds are identified: longitudinal wheel-path zones require 12% higher fracture energy to prevent crack initiation compared to transverse zones. The model demonstrates that combining ≥18 cm asphalt layers, polymer-modified surfaces (PG76-22), and chemical stabilizers (e.g., 1.5% Sasobit) reduces aging-induced TDC risks by 34–41%. These findings provide mechanics-based guidelines for designing durable pavements in freeze-thaw regions.

Macroscopic fatigue tests, mesoscopic finite element simulations, and microscopic molecular dynamics simulations were composed to study the damage and failure of drainage asphalt mixtures in multiscale. The applicability of the fatigue models fit by strain, stress, and the linear fitting slope of the indirect tensile modulus curves were compared. The mesoscopic damage and failure distribution and evolution characteristics were studied, considering the single or coupling effect of traffic loading, hydrodynamic pressure, mortar aging, and interfacial attenuation. The microscopic molecular mechanism of the interface adhesion failure between the aggregate and mortar under water-containing conditions was analyzed. Results show that the fatigue model based on the linear fitting slopes of the indirect tensile modulus curves has significant applicability for drainage asphalt mixtures with different void rates and gradations. The damage and failure have an obvious leap development when traffic loading increases from 0.7 MPa to 0.8 MPa. The hydrodynamic pressure significantly increases the stress of the mortar around the voids and close to the aggregate, promoting damage development and crack extension, especially when it is greater than 0.3 MPa. With the aging deepening of the mortar, the increase rate of the damage degree gradually decreases from the top to the bottom of the mixture. With the development of interfacial attenuation, the damage and failure of interfaces continue increasing, while that of the mortar increases first and then decreases, which is related to the loading concentration in the interface and the stress decrease in the mortar. Under the coupling effects, whether the cracks mainly generate in the mortar or interface depends on their damage degrees, thus causing the stripping of the aggregate wrapped or not wrapped by the mortar, respectively. The van del Waals force is the main molecular effect of interface adhesion, and both acidic and alkaline aggregate components significantly tend to form hydrogen bonds with water rather than asphalt, thus attenuating the interface adhesion.