Dynamic model and criteria indices of semi-rigid base asphalt pavement

This paper presents a dynamic model of asphalt pavement by considering the characteristics of moving tyre load, visco-elastic performance of material and layered system of pavement. The pavement is defined as an infinite layered system with the tyre load moving at a constant speed, and asphalt concrete (AC) is characterised as a kind of visco-elastic material. Using the spectrum analysis method, a complex tyre load is decomposed into a series of harmonic loads. Based on the frequency characteristics of a linear system, a universal formulation pattern for differential visco-elastic constitutive relations is provided. And then, a model is set up to analyse the dynamic response of asphalt pavement under moving harmonic load, and then to extend to the arbitrary moving load according to the superposition principle of a linear system. The dynamic responses of seven typical semi-rigid base asphalt pavements are analysed using the model. Analysis results indicate that the tensional strain at the bottom of the AC layer and the vertical compression strain at the top of the roadbed are not suitable for key indices of the semi-rigid base asphalt pavement. The shearing strain at the bottom of the AC layer can be taken as a key index to evaluate the fatigue performance, and the vertical compression strain at the top of the pavement surface can be taken as a key index to evaluate pavement rutting, and the vertical shearing strain at the top of pavement surface can be taken as a key index to evaluate top–down crack.