EFFECTS OF ASPHALT CONCRETE ANISOTROPY ON PREDICTEDPAVEMENT RESPONSE AT HIGH TEMPERATURES

摘要

In this study, predictions of strain gauge calibrated full-scale micromechanical (MM) finiteelement (FE) models were used to identify the effects of asphalt concrete anisotropy onpredicted asphalt concrete pavement performance. The accuracy of layered elastic theory(LET) models that are used in pavement design today were also evaluated. The MM FEmodel was first developed to simulate a laboratory shear test. Second, model parametersdetermined for the laboratory shear tests were used to develop MM FE models for full-scalepavement test sections. A virtual strain gauge was also included in the MM FE models forcalibration. LET models were also calibrated using the measured strain gauge responses.Predictions of calibrated MM FE and LET models were compared to determine the effects ofthe absence of anisotropy in LET models on predicted pavement responses.Recommendations were also made for future use of the MM FE models to improve thepredictive capability of LET models.