Static and dynamic response of rigid concrete pavements: parametric study

Abstract

Despite considerable research on rigid concrete pavement performance under traffic and envi-ronmental loading, the assessment of pavement structural response often relies on empirical procedures or static analyses. Moreover, contradictory results and conclusions exist regarding the significance of dynamic effects in concrete pavement design. In the present study, a two- and three-dimensional finite element (2D/3D FE) static and dynamic analysis is performed on a rigid concrete pavement under moving axle loads. The numerical models are validated with available solutions in the literature. Accuracy of results for the different modeling approaches (static/dynamic, 2D/3D) is compared. Furthermore, a parametric study of pavement and vehi-cle characteristics that presumably affect the dynamic response of concrete pavements, is pre-sented. Results indicate that dynamic analysis is generally not required for concrete pavement design. Furthermore, comparison of the 2D and 3D FE model shows the significance of the transverse dimension in the overall pavement response.