Deformation behavior of flexible pavements by finite element simulation

Abstract

Flexible pavement is usually designed based on certain axle load limits and climatic conditions. The Iraqi code has specified certain load limits per each axle type that should not be exceeded. However, many trucks violate these limits by carrying additional weights to decrease the transportation cost. These overweight trucks cause severe deterioration to the pavement and thus reduce its life. The Iraqi authorities generally charges the violating trucks a penalty based on their weights. This penalty could be very small compared to the damage occurring to the pavement based on these over weights. Also, some trucks may carry huge weights that the pavement may not support, so unloading such trucks could be a suitable solution rather than paying few amounts of money and deteriorating the pavement. The study aims at studying the effect of axle load increase, and the variation in pavement moduli, on the overall pavement life. It also aims to estimate the overweight truck limits that could be penalized or unloaded. The research uses the ABAQUS software conditions to estimate the tensile strains occurring under the asphalt concrete (AC) layer and the compressive strains above the subgrade surface. These computed strains are incorporated in the fatigue cracking and rutting models to estimate the pavement life for different axle weights. Results showed that violating trucks should be unloaded when their weights exceed certain limits.