An investigation of structural responses of inverted pavements by numerical approaches considering nonlinear stress-dependent properties of unbound aggregate layer

2021 ◽  
Vol 303 ◽  
pp. 124505
Author(s):  
Xi Jiang ◽  
Miaomiao Zhang ◽  
Rui Xiao ◽  
Pawel Polaczyk ◽  
Yun Bai ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Yuqing Zhang ◽  
Fan Gu ◽  
Xue Luo ◽  
Bjorn Birgisson ◽  
Robert L. Lytton

Unbound granular base (UGB) has a cross-anisotropic and nonlinear (stress-dependent) modulus with a plastic behavior. Existing UGB models address nonlinear cross-anisotropy and plasticity separately. It is unknown how the two characteristics are coupled into a finite element model (FEM) and how this will affect the pavement responses. This study presents a coupled nonlinear cross-anisotropic elastoplastic (NAEP) constitutive model for the UGB and implements it in a weak form equation-based FEM. No material subroutine is needed to address the circular dependence between the stress-dependent anisotropic modulus, structural stress responses, and elastoplastic deformation. The NAEP model was calibrated by triaxial resilient modulus and strength tests and validated using laboratory measurements in a large-scale soil-tank pavement structural test. It is found that the NAEP model is valid and effective in predicting the UGB responses in flexible pavements. The model predicted less horizontal tensile stresses at the base bottom and introduced compressive stresses in the middle and top of the base course. This is caused by an increasing confinement resulting from a horizontal plastic dilation in the base course, which cannot be modeled without considering plasticity. The stress-dependent modulus for the UGB material decreases with depth and the distance from loading centerline. Compared with a nonlinear anisotropic elastic model, the NAEP model predicted the same tensile strain at asphalt layer bottom, a higher base modulus, and a higher subgrade compressive strain. Thus, the nonlinear anisotropic elastic UGB model results in the same fatigue life as the NAEP model but may riskily under-predict rutting damage.


2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minkwan Kim ◽  
Joo Hyoung Lee

This paper describes numerical analyses on low volume roads (LVRs) using a nonlinear three-dimensional (3D) finite element model (FEM). Various pavement scenarios are analyzed to investigate the effects of pavement layer thicknesses, traffic loads, and material properties on pavement responses, such as surface deflection and subgrade strain. Each scenario incorporates a different combination of wheel/axle configurations and pavement geomaterial properties to analyze the nonlinear behavior of thinly surfaced asphalt pavement. In this numerical study, nonlinear stress-dependent models are employed in the base and subgrade layers to properly characterize pavement geomaterial behavior. Finite element analysis results are then described in terms of the effects of the asphalt pavement thickness, wheel/axle configurations, and geomaterial properties on critical pavement responses. Conclusions are drawn by the comparison of the nonlinear pavement responses in the base and subgrade in association with the effects of multiple wheel/axle load interactions. Santrauka Straipsnyje aprašoma skaitinė mažo intensyvumo kelių analizė, taikant netiesinį—erdvinį baigtinių elementų modelį. Skirtingi dangų paviršiaus variantai analizuojami siekiant ištirti, kokiąįtaką kelio dangos elgsenai, t. y. poslinkiams ir kelio pagrindo deformacijoms, turi dangų sluoksnių storiai, eismo apkrovos ir medžiagų savybės. Kiekvienas kelio dangos variantas turi skirtingas ratų arba ašies ir geometrinių savybių formas, kad būtų galima išanalizuoti netiesinę plonos asfalto dangos paviršiaus elgseną. Šioje skaitinėje analizėje nagrinėjami netiesiniai įtempių modeliai, kurie buvo taikomi pagrindo sluoksniams, siekiant tinkamai apibūdinti geometrinę kelio dangos elgseną. Baigtinių elementų analizės rezultatai toliau nagrinėjami atsižvelgiant į asfalto dangos storį ar ašies formą ir geometrines savybes, priklausomai nuo kritinės kelio dangos būklės. Išvados buvo gautos lyginant netiesines kelių dangos priklausomybes pagrindo sluoksnyje, atsižvelgiant į jų sąveiką su daugkartine ratų apkrova.


Author(s):  
Hyung Suk Lee ◽  
Douglas Steele ◽  
Harold Von Quintus

In this study, an existing finite layer algorithm for dynamic analysis of pavement structure was enhanced to incorporate the nonlinear behavior of unbound pavement materials. The nonlinear (stress-dependent) modulus was approximated in the vertical direction, which is similar to the approach used with multi-layered elastic and viscoelastic analysis methods for incorporating material nonlinearity. First, the enhanced finite layer algorithm was used to backcalculate the layer thickness, unit weight, Poisson’s ratio, and damping ratio in addition to the linear (viscoelastic and elastic) modulus of all layers. Then, the parameters backcalculated from the linear analysis were used to estimate the seed values for the subsequent nonlinear analysis in which the stress-dependent moduli of the unbound layers were backcalculated. Deflection data from two field sections (with thick and thin asphalt concrete layer) were used for demonstration. The results showed excellent agreement between the measured and backcalculated deflection time histories. In addition, it was found that the use of backcalculated parameters for the thickness, unit weight, Poisson’s ratio, and damping resulted in lower errors for both the linear and nonlinear analyses. Furthermore, the results of the backcalculation indicated that the material nonlinearity was more pronounced for the thin pavement, in which case the backcalculation error may be reduced further by incorporating the stress-dependent modulus.


Geophysics ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. D41-D51 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Verdon ◽  
Doug A. Angus ◽  
J. Michael Kendall ◽  
Stephen A. Hall

Recent work in hydrocarbon reservoir monitoring has focused on developing coupled geomechanical/fluid-flow simulations to allow production-related geomechanical effects, such as compaction and subsidence, to be included in reservoir models. To predict realistic time-lapse seismic signatures, generation of appropriate elastic models from geomechanical output is required. These elastic models should include not only the fluid saturation effects of intrinsic, shape-induced, and stress-induced anisotropy, but also should incorporate nonlinear stress-dependent elasticity. To model nonlinear elasticity, we use a microstructural effective-medium approach in which elasticity is considered as a function of mineral stiffness and additional compliance is caused by the presence of low-aspect ratio displacement discontinuities. By jointly inverting observed ultrasonic P- and S-wave velocities to determine the distribution of such discontinuities, we assessed the appropriateness of modeling them as simple, planar, penny-shaped features. By using this approximation, we developed a simple analytical approach to predict how seismic velocities will vary with stress. We tested our approach by analyzing the elasticity of various sandstone samples; from a United Kingdom continental shelf (UKCS) reservoir, some of which display significant anisotropy, as well as two data sets taken from the literature.


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