The　healing　characteristics　of　asphalt　binders　affect　the　fatigue　performance　of　asphalt　mixtures　and　field　pavements.　The　objective　of　this　paper　is　to　quantify　the　healing　potential　of　asphalt　binders　using　the　linear　amplitude　sweep　(LAS)　test　under　various　damage　level　and　rest　period　durations.　A　healing　protocol　based　on　the　LAS　test　is　successfully　established　to　measure　the　healing　behaviour　of　asphalt　binder　by　applying　the　rest　periods　before　and　after　cohesive　failure.　Based　on　the　simplified-viscoelastic　continuum　damage　(S-VECD)　model,　the　percent　healing　(%Hs)　is　quantified　from　the　healing　recovery　of　the　accumulated　damage　growths.　The　neat　asphalt　binder　exhibits　better　%Hs　results　than　the　SBS　modified　binder　in　the　pre-failure　conditions.　However,　the　SBS　modified　binder　exhibits　a　higher　healing　potential　in　the　post-failure　case.　The　rest-damage　superposition　principle　(RDSP)　is　further　investigated　in　the　pre　failure　cases　to　remove　and　unify　the　effects　of　damage　level　and　rest　period　by　constructing　a　%Hs　mastercurve　at　a　given　reference　damage　level.　The　developed　healing　mastercurve　and　related　damage　shift　factor　can　be　used　to　represent　the　intrinsic　healing　potential　of　a　given　asphalt　binder.　A　series　of　healing　indices　are　proposed　and　discussed　based　on　the　healing　mastercurve　to　numerically　compare　the　healing　performance　of　asphalt　binders.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.