Pavement Strain from Moving Dynamic 3D Load Distribution

TLDR

The study formulates and applies a continuum‑based finite‑layer model to evaluate pavement strain under real traffic loading. The model incorporates dynamic tire‑pavement load variations, complex normal and shear contact stress distributions, vehicle speed, and viscoelastic material properties. Parametric simulations of thin and thick pavements under varying speeds, including wide‑base and dual tires, show that tire‑pavement contact shear stress has negligible effect on bottom‑of‑asphalt tensile strain, contrary to earlier reports.

Abstract

This paper presents the formulation and the application of a continuum-based finite-layer approach to evaluate pavement strain response under actual traffic loading. The model incorporates important pavement response parameters such as the dynamic tire-pavement load variations and corresponding complex contact stress distributions (normal and shear), vehicle speed, and viscoelastic material characterization. Results of a parametric study in which two typical thin and thick pavement sections were subjected to traffic loading moving at different speeds are included. As an important application of the proposed method, pavement strain responses generated by wide-base and dual tires have been presented. This study reveals that contradictory to the past studies, the impact of tire-pavement contact shear stress on tensile strain at the bottom of asphalt concrete is insignificant.