Review on dynamic response of road pavements to moving vehicle loads; part 1: Rigid pavements

This review paper presents and critically discusses the developments in the area of the dynamic response of road pavements to moving vehicle loads during the last 72 years (1951–2023) in two parts: the present part 1 deals with rigid pavements, while part 2 in the companion paper with flexible pavements. Rigid pavements consist of an elastic concrete plate or jointed plates resting on a supporting foundation. This foundation is modeled as a system of springs and dashpots or as a homogeneous or layered half-space. Both two-dimensional (plane strain) and three-dimensional pavement models are considered. The material behavior of the foundation layers can be isotropic or anisotropic elastic, viscoelastic, poroelastic, or inelastic. The vehicles are usually simulated by constant concentrated or distributed over a finite area moving loads. More advance vehicle models involving multi-degree of freedom mass-spring-dashpot moving systems can also be used. The dynamic pavement response is obtained by analytical, analytical/numerical and purely numerical methods, like the finite element method, working in the time or frequency domain. Comparisons of the results of those methods against experimental results in the field as well as comparisons of the methods with respect to accuracy and efficiency are discussed. Some special topics on rigid pavement dynamics, such as critical vehicle speed, pavement surface roughness or variable with time vehicle speed are also briefly presented. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made for future research in the field.