Mechanistic Responses of Asphalt Concrete Overlay Over Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Using Finite Element Method

This study focused on the development of a three-dimensional Finite Element Model of an asphalt concrete overlaid on a jointed plain concrete pavement to assess the mechanical behaviour of the pavement under traffic load. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of different asphalt concrete thickness, asphalt concrete modulus, the interface bond between the asphalt concrete and the Portland cement concrete layer, Portland cement concrete modulus, and joint width on the tensile strain at the bottom of the asphalt overlay. The results showed that changes in the pavement parameters result in a large range of variations on the magnitude of pavement responses. The magnitude of the longitudinal tensile strain at the bottom of the overlay varied between 25 με and 460 με. Asphalt concrete thickness, interface contact condition, and asphalt concrete modulus parameters had the most influence on the pavement responses. The interface bonding condition was significant, regardless of the thickness of the surface layer.