To　better　understand　the　fatigue　failure　characteristics　of　asphalt　binder,　the　mechanic　analysis　approach　of　viscoelastic　continuum　damage　(VECD)　was　adopted.　And　both　accelerated　fatigue　test　and　traditional　time　sweep　fatigue　test　were　employed　to　study　the　fatigue　failure　behavior　of　both　neat　and　modified　asphalt　binders　under　different　loading　conditions.　Test　results　indicate　that　the　maximum　stored　pseudo　strain　energy　(PSE),　which　is　based　on　the　PSE　theory　and　proposed　as　the　failure　definition　for　accelerated　fatigue　test　of　asphalt　binder,　is　equivalent　to　phenomenological　parameter　as　phase　angle　peak　and　is　also　consistent　with　the　fatigue　failure　defined　in　the　time　sweep　tests.　Based　on　the　proposed　failure　definition,　the　characteristic　relationship　between　PSE　releasing　rate　and　fatigue　life　was　developed　and　found　to　be　independent　on　testing　methods　and　loading　conditions.　This　characteristic　relationship　was　proposed　as　the　unified　fatigue　failure　criterion　for　asphalt　binder　on　fatigue　performance　prediction.　©,　2015,　Beijing　University　of　Technology.　All　right　reserved.