3D FINITE ELEMENT SIMULATION OF DAMAGE IN ASPHALT CONCRETE PAVEMENTS

摘要

An extensive experimental and numerical investigation is being currently carried out on the mechanisms leading to initiation and propagation of damage in the top layers of asphalt concrete pavements. The main objectives of the investigation are the formulation and finite element implementation of a 3-dimensional, strain rate sensitive, temperature and loading history dependent constitutive model and, the development of the necessary experimental set-ups, testing procedures and data-analysis methods for determination of the model parameters. A prototype version of the model has been implemented in the finite element system IN SAP. The system has been used to simulate the initiation and propagation of damage in two flexible pavement structures due to repeated loading. The simulations illustrate the influence of geometry and material characteristics on the development of damage.