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Abstract
A research study is being undertaken to incorporate the realistic material properties of the pavement layers and the moving traffic load, in
the analysis of flexible pavements, using the finite element theory. As a preliminary step taken herein in this direction, a pavement structure
where field measurements have been carried out when subjected to a cyclic loading, is selected and modelled as a finite element model.
The analysis is being carried out using the finite element computer package ABAQUS/STANDARD, when this pavement model is subjected
to static and cyclic loading while considering the linear and non-linear material properties of the pavement layers. The results indicate that
displacements under cyclic loading when non-linear materials are present, are the closest to field measured deflections.
q 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Pavement analysis; Flexible pavement; Finite element; Cyclic loading; Non-linear; ABAQUS
Design curves based on road tests became available in adjusted until the computed responses are lower than the
1960s. Road Note 29 was published in 1960 to provide a failure criterion.
guide to the structural design of roads under British
condition of climate, materials, and traffic loading [12]. 3.2. Finite element analysis of pavement subgrade systems
Similarly, design curves were developed from AASHO road
test during that period [13]. In the finite element method the pavement layers are
In 1943, Burmister [14] presented a method for considered as a solid continuum. The solid continuum
determining stresses and displacements in a two-layer domain of the problem is then divided into sub domains.
elastic system. Since then a large number of computer These sub domains are then discretised into a number of
programs have been developed for calculating stresses, finite size elements. Assembly of all these elements will
strains and deflections of layered elastic system. Details of then represent the problem in the analysis. Finite elements
few such programs can be found in Refs. [15 19]. are interconnected by nodes at their common edges.
The stresses and strains calculated in these programs are This analysis provides an approximate solution for an
checked against the defined failure criteria. In all these engineering structure with various types of boundary
programs pavement layers are considered as homogeneous, conditions and under various types of loading using a
linear elastic. stiffness or energy formulation [25]. In the derivation of the
In real situations, the assumption of homogeneous, linear stiffness matrix for elements, three factors such as the
elastic pavement materials becomes invalid. Almost all geometry of elements, the degrees of freedom allowed for
pavement materials are not homogeneous. Especially the nodes to displace and the material properties of elements
granular materials are particulate in nature. Even though, are considered. This solution yields displacements at the
bituminous materials are mixed in hot mix plants, they are not nodal periods and stresses and strains at integration points.
homogeneous. Pavement materials are not linear elastic.
When exposed to stress, pavement materials will exhibit
elastic deformation as well as a number of different 4. Pavement subgrade model considered for the analysis
deformations, such as viscous, plastic and visco-elastic
deformations. Since all these deformations are stress The pavement structure selected for this study (site No. 5
dependent, the materials behave in a non-linear manner [20]. of ALF trial at Callington, South Australia) consists of a
The finite element method for the analysis of 45 mm thick asphalt layer (AC14) and a 55 mm thick
flexible pavements was first applied by Duncan [21]. asphalt layer (AC20) as the surfacing course, a 85 mm thick
Many computer programs based on this finite element granular (limestone crushed rock) layer as the base course, a
method were later developed. Details of two well-known 230 mm thick granular (limestone quarry rubble) layer,
programs developed in 1980s can be found in Refs. [22,23]. a 175 mm thick soil (calcareous clay sand) layer and a
The use of finite element method in determining the stresses, 370 mm thick soil (clayey sand) layer as the subbase course,
strains and deflections is becoming popular, with the and a subgrade (siltstone rubble) at the bottom.
availability of high-speed computers. Furthermore, this The pavement configuration is shown in Fig. 1. The material
method can handle structures with non-linear materials. properties of pavement layers are given in Table 1.
In all these programs, the traffic loading is considered as This pavement is subjected to a cyclic loading equal to
static loading. The incorporation of traffic loading as a 80 kN, applied through a dual wheel assembly, which
dynamic loading is still in its early stages of research. simulates the loading pattern of the ALF machine.
The interval at which the cyclic loading is applied, is
considered as 5 s, to simulate the unidirectional trafficking
3. Flexible pavement analysis speed of 20 km/h of the ALF machine.
A pavement structure having the layer configuration as
3.1. Static analysis of multi-layered pavement subgrade shown in Fig. 1 and having layer thicknesses and Elastic
systems Material properties as given in Table 1, is modelled as a
finite element model, using the finite element computer
In these methods each layer of the multi-layered linear package ABAQUS/STANDARD [26].
elastic pavement structure is characterised by its Youngs The results of laboratory and field tests carried out during
Modulus and its Poissons ratio [24]. In some programs the ALF trial at Callington, South Australia, are given in
resilient modulus based on the recoverable strain under Ref. [27]. In estimating the linear properties of pavement
repeated loading is used instead of Youngs Modulus. materials those test results are used together with
The stresses, strains and deflections at specified distances the AASHO Road Guide [28]. In estimating the non-linear
from the load are then theoretically calculated, assuming a properties of granular materials, results published in the
semi-infinite subgrade and infinite lateral boundaries. research report Stabilisation of Pavement Soils from South
These calculated responses are matched with defined failure Australia, are used [29]. This report presents the results of
criteria. Layer thicknesses and material properties are repeated load triaxial tests carried out on soils collected
M.N.S. Hadi, B.C. Bodhinayake / Advances in Engineering Software 34 (2003) 657662 659
Table 2
k-Values used for non-linear modelling M k1 u k2
Layer k1 k2
6. Results
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