Analysis of coupled thermo-mechanical response and damage behaviour of curved ramp bridge deck pavement using a 3D multiscale method

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) multiscale modelling approach was developed in this study, which considers a two-way coupling of material properties and mechanical responses between macroscale (pavement level) and mesoscale (mixture level) finite element (FE) models. Both thermal and mechanical properties at the two scales were linked through a homogenisation method, and the boundary response was transferred from the macroscopic target element to the mesoscale model using a mapping procedure. The results show that seasonal temperature variations have a significant effect on the coupled thermo-mechanical response within bridge deck pavement. In winter, the deck pavement is subject to tensile stresses, the maximum values of which mainly occur at the tire edges and the dual-tire clearance centre; while the deck pavement experiences compressive stresses in summer, and the stress difference within the asphalt concrete layer increases with the temperature.