Modelling and Simulation in Pavement

Engineering
Assignment
Cao Jie

Q1
The total tyre contact area is 360mm*250mm, and a 2D axial symmetric model is applicable in this case. We can define
our single element's dimension by 180mm*125mm (1/4 of total contact area). With a 6 by 6 elements, a plate sublayer
mesh can be created. plate dimension of each sublayer is same, 1.08m*0.75m. For the whole pavement structure is
made of 5 layers, Asphalt surface layer 4cm,Asphalt binder layer 8cm, Asphalt base layer 22cm, UGM 30cm, Subgrade
100cm, which have the numbers of sublayers by 2, 4, 11, 3, 3 respectively. In terms of 3 dimension, there are 20 nodes
for each element.
The descriptions of boundary condition: for the subgrade layer is resticted in x,y,z direction,which means no movement in
these directions. For the UGM and Asphalt layers, there is no movement in x,z direction, here we only consider the vertical
displacement. And the interface elements are defined flexible coupling between the two layers.

Q2
By selection of certain element in the software, the following FE calculation results can be determined
Asphalt
Surface
Temp()

UGL
(3)(KN/M^2)

Subgrade
Strain (3)

Asphalt Base
Course(2)

40
20
10
12.5

5.1600E+01
2.7310E+01
2.2650E+01
1.7910E+01

3.5000E-04
2.3260E-04
2.1000E-04
1.8410E-04

1.6300E-04
6.1000E-05
3.1000E-05
1.9900E-05

Q3
UGL 3

(KN/M^2)

Asphalt Base Layer(2)

60.0

1.8000E-04
1.6000E-04
1.4000E-04
1.2000E-04
1.0000E-04
8.0000E-05
6.0000E-05
4.0000E-05
2.0000E-05
0.0000E+00

50.0
40.0

30.0
20.0
10.0

0.0
40

20

10

12.5

40

20

10

12.5

Subgrade Strain (3)

4.0000E-04
3.5000E-04
3.0000E-04
2.5000E-04
2.0000E-04
1.5000E-04

1.0000E-04
5.0000E-05
0.0000E+00

40

20

10

12.5

The diagrams demonstrate the strain and stress

states depends on different temperatures. In a
low temperature a relatively low deformation is
showed and the stiffness of asphalt layer is
higher than high temperature. At the higher
temperature variations can change the asphalt
binder rheology. A high strain is appeared
cause the stiffness is lower and asphalt layers
transfer higher stress to the UGL.

Q4
Surface
Temp
()
40
20
10
-12.5

Subgrade
Strain
()
3.5000E-04
2.3260E-04
2.1000E-04
1.8410E-04

Allowable
Load
Cycle(Nf)
9.352E+51
1.63348E+53
3.34076E+53
8.39468E+53

For which Nf=(9300/)^7

Surface
Temp
()
40
20
10
-12.5

Surface
Temp
()
40
20
10
-12.5

UGC
(N/mm2)
5.1600E-02
2.7310E-02
2.2650E-02
1.7910E-02

E UGL
250
250
250
250

E v2
144.794
144.794
144.794
144.794

Allowable
Load
Cycle(Nf)
9.0238E+21
5.6690E+42
6.9743E+51
8.7561E+65

For which Nf=10^(1/0.7*(0.00875*Ev2/(z*1.5)-1))

Asphalt
Allowable
Base
Load
Course(22) Cycle(Nf)
1.6300E-04 1.5541E+16
6.1000E-05 9.5879E+17
3.1000E-05 1.6392E+19
1.9900E-05 1.0520E+20

In which Nf=(SF/F)*a*^k,with F=2.1 SF=1.5 a=2.82

and k=-4.194
The lower amount of strains value means a better fatigue resistance. And also with a lower temperature, the
layers seemed to be more durable, which with high value of load cycles. This also explain at a lower
temperature asphalt pavements have a better performance. The allowable load cycle between pavement layers
are also vairous. In the same temperature condition, Subgrade layers have a highest ALC, by contrary asphalt
layers have the lowest. To improve the performance and durablity of pavement we can also increase the
thickness of each layer, but this also caused a problem to increase the total stress on the subgrade layer which
may leads a early rutting.

Q5
Depth
[cm]
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
39
49
59
80.5
113.5
146.5

Node
6722
6540
5922
5740
5558
5376
3914
3732
3550
3368
3186
3004
2822
2640
2458
2276
2094
1452
1270
1088
498
316
134

Stress S33
[kN/m2]
-549.695
-542.342
-524.711
-495.869
-456.696
-411.313
-363.281
-314.907
-267.726
-222.884
-181.125
-142.988
-108.949
-79.559
-55.563
-38.068
-28.84
-25.36
-23.037
-20.971
-19.859
-19.191
-16.724

40 Deg.
Strain E22
[-]
-0.000052614
-0.000041209
-0.000030593
-0.000020751
-0.000012063
-0.000004374
0.000001915
0.000006961
0.000011598
0.000016048
0.000020503
0.000025139
0.000030126
0.000035634
0.000041841
0.000048957
0.000057221
0.000016894
0.000043292
0.000066043
0.00010191
0.000103882
0.000048269

Stress S22
[kN/m2]
-687.77
-591.765
-570.18
-445.007
-330.177
-224.81
-145.195
-78.734
-16.229
43.776
103.014
162.605
224.702
290.002
360.399
437.631
523.513
-7.841
3.547
13.398
-5.132
-3.96
-6.972

Full Layer Bound

Str.S33
[kN/m2]
-549.747
-541.952
-522.696
-492.034
-451.368
-404.437
-354.647
-304.666
-256.338
-210.81
-168.791
-130.769
-97.159
-68.427
-45.204
-28.438
-19.677
-17.444
-17.052
-16.928
-17.516
-17.898
-16.026

-12.5 Deg
Strain E22
[-]
-0.000016146
-0.00001254
-0.000009248
-0.000006292
-0.000003718
-0.000001493
0.000000468
0.000002239
0.000003863
0.000005403
0.000006924
0.000008485
0.000010139
0.000011938
0.000013942
0.000016217
0.000018843
0.000032611
0.00004185
0.000050241
0.000076674
0.000084703
0.000039634

St.S22
[kN/m2]
-823.72
-674.851
-557.748
-432.532
-322.132
-226.377
-140.343
-62.658
6.963
71.668
133.01
193.964
253.741
316.371
380.143
450.139
526.285
2.123
5.94
9.364
-5.324
-4.352
-7.051

Depth below the Surface (cm)

Horizontal Strain

0
0

20

-100

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

40
-12.5

-200
-300
-400
-500

-600
Vertical Stress (KN/M^2)
0
0.00012
0.0001
0.00008
0.00006
0.00004
0.00002
0
-0.00002 0
-0.00004
-0.00006
-0.00008

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160
0.0001

40
-12.5

0.00008
0.00006
0.00004

0.00002
20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160 0
-0.00002
-0.00004

Depth below the Surface(cm)

Depth
[cm]
1
3
5
7
9
11
12
12
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
34
34
39
49
59
80.5
113.5
146.5

Node
6936
6754
680
498
316
134
1
3381
3332
3150
2968
2786
2604
2422
2240
2058
1876
1694
1512
1379
6294
6245
6063
6621
5291
5191
4927

Stress S33
[kN/m2]
-549.037
-540.817
-525.112
-502.944
-479.139
-463.997
-458.721
-463.564
-455.605
-436.018
-400.812
-355.935
-306.21
-255.544
-207.111
-163.585
-127.382
-100.937
-87.046
-82.131
-87.057
-74.777
-59.39
-43.885
-32.289
-26.272
-19.869

40 Deg.
Strain E22
[-]
-0.00012535
-0.000071576
-0.000018015
0.000037936
0.000093225
0.000149278
0.000171479
-0.000184051
-0.000162582
-0.00011252
-0.000069044
-0.000030625
0.00000422
0.000036834
0.000068526
0.00010057
0.000134224
0.000170859
0.000212097
0.000229754
-0.000119605
-0.000049712
0.000062102
0.000151625
0.000220516
0.000178176
0.000083343

Stress S22
[kN/m2]
-497.659
-387.504
-347.369
-74.134
191.113
455.057
561.118
-911.115
-824.018
-624.346
-445.618
-283.422
-133.718
4.343
132.829
252.312
362.924
461.583
548.317
600.966
-99.881
-63.165
-9.023
35.783
-4.487
-3.281
-6.703

Node
[kN/m2]
6936
6754
6055
5873
5691
5509
5376
2003
1954
1772
1590
1408
1226
1044
862
680
498
316
134
1
4916
4867
4685
4503
3913
3731
3549

No Layer Bound

-12.5 Deg
Stress S33 Strain E22Stress S22
[-]
[kN/m2]
-548.47
-1.7E-05 -871.489
-536.593
-8.38E-06 -549.805
-513.516
1.2E-08 -246.898
-484.764
8.274E-06 58.374
-457.291
1.652E-05 351.018
-440.729
2.491E-05 639.238
-435.057
2.824E-05 757.65
-440.598
-3.25E-05 -1289.8
-431.87
-2.92E-05 -1172.78
-410.864
-2.15E-05 -889.357
-373.221
-1.45E-05 -633.585
-325.356
-8.18E-06 -404.857
-272.194
-2.25E-06 -194.704
-217.595
3.412E-06 2.687
-164.719
8.989E-06 191.582
-116.338
1.464E-05 378.094
-75.157
2.053E-05 562.91
-44.231
2.683E-05 755.068
-27.587
3.374E-05 956.606
-21.539
3.663E-05 1044.527
-24.252
6.35E-06
-11.2
-22.881
1.854E-05 -5.643
-21.302
4.147E-05 3.876
-19.959
6.17E-05 12.276
-19.385
9.695E-05 -5.174
-18.976
0.000101 -4.018
-16.62
4.706E-05 -6.983

Depth below the Surface (cm)

0
-100

0
0

50

-200

100

150

200

-200

40
-12.5

-300

-100

-300

-400

-400

-500

-500

-600

-600
Vertical Stress (KN/M^2)
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0.00012

0.0003

Horizontal Strain

0.0001

0.0002

0.00008
-12.5
40

0.00006
0.00004

0.0001
0

0.00002
0
-0.00002 0

-0.0001
20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160
-0.0002

-0.00004
-0.00006

-0.0003

Depth below the Surface(cm)

Horizontal Strain

0
0.00012
0.0001
0.00008
0.00006
0.00004
0.00002
0
-0.00002 0
-0.00004
-0.00006
-0.00008

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160
0.0003
0.0002
0.0001
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Depth below the Surface(cm)

As the chart showed above,the horizontal strains are deverse greatly in the
Asphalt layer(0-34cm). The no bound layer(Green) changed acutely,especially
high strain at the buttom of each asphalt layers,since high stress value cause
sliding between 2 layers.The full bound layer(Blue one) tend to be more stable
in increment of the strain.Which can couple the two layers and tranfer the
stress and strain . Moreover this kind of bound can also dilute the stress and
strain, leading them to another layers or directions.

The picture shows in the right indicates a very high stress at the buttom of
asphalt layers,this is the case without bound layer. It is obvious that the stress
can not efficiently tranfer to other layers.The high tensile stress may also
cause cracking and rutting which we are always trying to avoid. On contrary
this risk will be greatly reduced in the bound layer with flexible binder material.

140
FLB
FLB
NLB
NLB

40
-12.5
-12.5
40

160 -0.0001
-0.0002
-0.0003