Deflection analysis of rigid pavement on clay soil with vertical drain

Abstract

Rigid pavements are often used on clay soils with long-term settlement history and are subject to damage from traffic loads. It must be analyzed for deflections in rigid pavements built on clay to prevent damage and extend pavement life. If deflection exceeds the permit, the pavement will experience damage. One way to minimize these problems is by installing vertical drains to improve the soil. Installing a vertical drain on the soil can increase the modulus of the subgrade reaction represented as soil- bearing capacity and minimize the potential for pavement deformation. This research aims to analyze the deflection of rigid pavement on clay soil with vertical drains. The finite element method is utilized to analyze the deflection. The pavement is modeled as a 10 m long and 7 m wide slab with thickness variations ranging from 150 mm to 350 mm. Static loads are used to model vehicle loads with load positions at the pavement’s center, ends, and edges. For all slab thicknesses subjected to varying center, end, and edge loads, the maximum deflection of rigid pavement over vertical drain soils is lower than that of soils without vertical drains. It can be concluded that rigid pavement deflection can be reduced using vertical drains for soil improvement.