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Finite elements modelling of the long‐term behaviour of a full‐scale flexible pavement with the shakedown theory
Author(s) -
Chazallon Cyrille,
Allou Fatima,
Hornych Pierre,
Mouhoubi Saida
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal for numerical and analytical methods in geomechanics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.419
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1096-9853
pISSN - 0363-9061
DOI - 10.1002/nag.702
Subject(s) - shakedown , rut , structural engineering , geotechnical engineering , granular material , term (time) , finite element method , engineering , constitutive equation , heavy traffic , scale (ratio) , materials science , asphalt , civil engineering , composite material , physics , quantum mechanics
Rutting, due to permanent deformations of unbound materials, is one of the principal damage modes of low‐traffic pavements. Flexible pavement design methods remain empirical; they do not take into account the inelastic behaviour of pavement materials and do not predict the rutting under cyclic loading. A simplified method, based on the concept of the shakedown theory developed by Zarka for metallic structures under cyclic loadings, has been used to estimate the permanent deformations of unbound granular materials subjected to traffic loading. Based on repeated load triaxial tests, a general procedure has been developed for the determination of the material parameters of the constitutive model. Finally, the results of a finite elements modelling of the long‐term behaviour of a flexible pavement with the simplified method are presented and compared with the results of a full‐scale flexible pavement experiment performed by Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées. Finally, the calculation of the rut depth evolution with time is carried out. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.