Mechanical responses analysis and modulus inverse calculation of permeable asphalt pavement under dynamic load

Abstract

Permeable pavements play an important role in the mitigation of stormwater runoff and urban heat island effect. However, due to low strength and clogging, permeable pavements are always applied in light traffic areas. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the structural performance of permeable pavements under different conditions. In this paper, the performance of two permeable pavement structures (fully-permeable (FP) pavement and semi-permeable (SP) pavement) under dry and wet conditions is analyzed with the finite element method (FEM) modeling and one-third scaled MMLS3 test. A preliminary FEM model was established and empirical values of modulus are used. To make the model more closely simulate the actual conditions of the pavement, the modulus was calibrated according to the MMLS3 test results. The results of resilient strain and calibrated modulus of two structures under dry and wet conditions were analyzed, and the SP structure appears better cracking and moisture damage resistances. The modulus increases firstly and then decreases with the change of loading repetitions, which is considered to be caused by the combined action of further compaction of load and temperature. Since the change rate of surface layer modulus of the SP structure with loading repetitions is higher than that of FP structure, and only the base material of the two structures is different. It can be considered that the base layer modulus will affect the bottom strain of the surface layer, thus affecting the surface layer modulus. Furthermore, by calculating the difference between the base layer and the surface layer, it is found that the smaller the modulus gap between them, the smaller the change rate of the surface layer modulus.