Effect of horizontal loading on RCC-base composite pavement performance at heavy duty area

Abstract

RCC-base composite pavement is reported as an economical and strong structural alternative to carry heavy traffic in heavy duty area such as port or container terminal. This pavement system has ability to eliminate the critical tensile strain that induces the bottom-up fatigue cracking of asphalt surface course. Other issues such as top-down cracking in asphalt surface and interfacial bonding failure may also influence and reduce the life and functionality of the pavement. In multi-layer pavement system, horizontal loading created by tire-pavement friction during brake or acceleration of vehicle is found to be an essential effect that induces top-down cracking in asphalt surface and interlayer debonding. In heavy duty area, handling vehicles frequently stop or accelerate on pavement, thus effect of horizontal loading on top-down cracking and AC/RCC interfacial bonding behavior in RCC-base composite pavement system should be numerically investigated. In this study, horizontal strain on the top of asphalt surface and AC/RCC interfacial shear stress are computed in FEM to evaluate top-down cracking and bonding behavior, respectively. This study shows that top-down cracking and bonding failure in composite pavement system may occur since horizontal loading is applied. Also, temperature may have a significant effect on top-down cracking of asphalt surface.