Considerations on Finite-Element Method Application in Pavement Structural Analysis

Finite-element models have been applied extensively to the design and analysis of pavement structures. Three types of models have been used to study multilayered pavement structures: plane strain, axisymmetric, and three-dimensional (3-D). The applicability of each these three models and their disadvantages and advantages are discussed. Within the research community, an issue frequently raised about the application of the finite-element method (FEM) to pavement structures is the dependence of the solution on the simplifications that are introduced to reduce computational time and mesh configurations and element size, type, and aspect ratio. This issue is discussed extensively with the primary objective of comparing the solutions derived from FEM models with those from classic mechanistic models. The FEM solutions were derived with a commercial software package, ABAQUS, which is designed as a flexible tool for the implementation of FEM. The solution from the BISAR layered theory model for the traffic loading results was chosen for comparisons with the FEM solution. The 3-D and axisymmetric FEM models yielded results suitable for the traffic loading analysis.