Comparative analysis of short paneled pavement using 3-D Finite Element analysis

Abstract

Rigid pavements are predominantly subjected to flexural stresses due to traffic and thermal loading throughout their design life. In conventional concrete pavements, there is a considerable contribution of thermal stresses in total. This may not be true for thinner short paneled rigid pavement and consequently economical concrete slab can be constructed. In this paper, a comparative analysis has been presented for maximum vertical deflections in short paneled rigid pavements due to traffic loading and combined traffic with temperature loading, based on 3-Dimensional (3-D) Finite Element (FE) technique. It is observed from the results that percentage increase in deflection due to consideration of temperature loading showed an increasing trend with increase in panel size. Results also suggest that the percentage increase in deflections due to consideration of temperature loading increases with slab thickness. Percentage increase in maximum vertical deflection is increasing with the value of effective subgrade modulus, when both loadings are considered. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, London.