Stress and Strain Characteristics in Flexible Pavement Using Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

AbstractA new numerical simulation was developed to obtain various structural parameters by employing a nonlinear finite element method using ABAQUS: stress, strain, and the displacement response of five layers on the flexible pavement. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a new simulation that can accurately and effectively characterize stress and strain problems in flexible pavement. New constitutive model equations were developed based on Hooke’s law the three-dimensional model for stress and strain. 40 kN wheel load was used to represent a set of dual tires, assuming a uniformly distributed contact area between the tire-pavement surfaced using linear viscoelastic and nonlinear viscoelastic materials. Four tire-inflation pressures were used 380, 490, 630, and 700 kPa. Results indicated that each flexible pavement layer created with a nonlinear viscoelastic material exhibited a 40% vertical plastic strain reduction compared to linear viscoelastic materials after 7000 s and repeated for 30,000 cyclic loadings. The implication of this newly developed constitutive model was verified against published experimental data. Analyses were completed to simplify the results model results considering the effects of stress and strain on flexible pavement layers. The newly developed constitutive model for solving stress and strain characterization problems can predict the effects on flexible pavement layers and various types of observed flexible pavement failure.