Full-depth flexible pavement responses to different truck tyre geometry configurations

摘要

Pavement stresses and strain responses due to tyre loading are essential data for design and performance analysis. The magnitude and distribution of these responses are primarily affected by the tyres configuration geometry. This study investigates the longitudinal strain responses at the bottom of a hot-mix asphalt layer for full-depth medium-volume flexible pavement under different truck tyres design. Pavement testing was carried out with a user-control accelerated pavement facility at various speeds and tyre inflation pressures and loading. Three truck tyre configurations: dual-tyre (11R22.5) and two wide-base tyres (425/65R22.5 and 455/55R22.5) widely used in the truck industry were examined. A 3D finite element model was developed to quantify surface stresses to loading at various critical locations in the pavement after being calibrated with the field-measured strains. Field measurements showed that the 455 wide-base tyres yield 7% more longitudinal strain than a dual-tyre assembly at the same tyre pressure.