Aggregate　contacts　significantly　affect　the　mechanical　behavior　of　asphalt　concrete.　However,　there　still　lacks　an　effective　way　to　account　for　them　in　numerical　modeling.　Therefore,　to　address　this　concern,　a　new　virtualspecimen-based　modeling　approach　was　developed　in　this　study　by　simplifying　aggregate　particles　in　asphalt　concrete　as　spheres　and　incorporating　aggregate　contacts　through　Contact　Region　(CR)　elements.　The　complex　moduli　of　both　gap-graded　and　dense-graded　mixtures　were　predicted　using　this　approach　and　compared　with　those　predicted　using　the　conventional　image-based　modeling　approach　and　laboratory-measured　values.　The　virtual-specimen　modeling　revealed　that　the　CR　in　the　gap-graded　mixture　with　a　higher　proportion　of　large　aggregates　can　better　transmit　load　among　aggregates　than　in　the　dense-graded　mixture.　Both　modeling　approaches　were　found　to　provide　good　prediction　accuracy,　but　the　stress　distributions　in　the　virtual-specimen　models　were　more　uniform　and　continuous,　leading　to　better　computational　convergence　and　the　possibility　of　nonlinear　analysis　of　asphalt　concrete.