Three-Dimensional Dynamic Analysis of Flexible Conventional Pavement Foundation

Abstract

The paper examines the dynamic response of flexible conventional pavement systems to single wheel traffic loads in terms of the pavement design criteria, namely the fatigue strain at the bottom of the asphalt concrete layer and rutting strain at the top of the subgrade material. Model setup including geometry, boundary conditions, and load wave characterization are presented. The effect of elastoplasticity of the base material and elastoplasticity with strain hardening of the subgrade material on the dynamic response of the pavement system are first investigated. A detailed model parametric study then follows to show the effect of the base strength and thickness and the subgrade quality on the fatigue and rutting strains and the vertical surface deflection. The study, conducted with program ADINA, employs a three-dimensional, implicit dynamic, finite element method.