Abstract: Focusing on the structural-mechanical characteristics of asphalt pavement on rigid base, a visco-elastic-plastic damage constitutive model for asphalt mixtures was proposed and calibrated through series of laboratory tests. A three-dimensional FE model implementing a user defined material subroutine (UMAT) was constructed to study the mechanical behavior of asphalt layer under traffic loads. Furthermore, a partial compression-shear testing apparatus that simulates the combined action of vertical and horizontal loads was invented. The compression-shear strength and fatigue of asphalt layer on rigid base were systematically investigated. The findings demonstrated that the asphalt layer on rigid base was predominantly subjected to compression-shear state. Temperature and asphalt layer thickness were two main influencing factors on the compression-shear strength of asphalt surfaces on rigid base layers. Additionally, a model for the compression-shear strength of composite specimen was developed based on temperature and asphalt layer thickness. The support provided by the rigid base and the confining effect provided by the rigid-flexible interlaminar bonding effectively mitigated the compression-shear damage in the asphalt layer, thereby enhancing its fatigue life. The overloading significantly reduced the fatigue life of asphalt pavement, while the asphalt layer thickness increased the service life of the asphalt pavement approximately in proportion. Based on multi-stress compression-shear tests of composite specimens, a fatigue prediction model was established for asphalt layer on rigid base. The results can provide reference for the performance prediction, structural design and material development of asphalt pavement with rigid base.