Determination of Stresses and Displacements in Rigid Pavement Slabs, Through Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

In this work, the results of the structural modelling of several structures of rigid pavements are presented, consisting of a concrete slab in thicknesses of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm, supported by a granular base layer of 20 cm of thickness and this in turn, supported on a material selected to improve the subgrade, in the thicknesses necessary to obtain a level of bearing capacity of the improved subgrade, in terms of its CBR = 5%. For this modelling, the EverFE finite element program was used, through which some interesting relationships could be determined between the thickness of the slab and the stresses and deflections generated, as the structural packages were subjected to four types of loaded axles with the maximum legal loads per axle established in Colombia: steering axles, with a load of 6 tons; single axles with double wheels, with a load of 11 tons; tandem axles, with a load of 22 tons and tridem axles, with a load of 24 tons.