Dr. P.

NANJUNDASWAMY
Department of Civil Engineering
S J College of Engineering
Mysore – 570 006
pnswamy@yahoo.com
 Outline

 Introduction
 Background on Stress and Strain
in Flexible pavements
 Approaches for Stress Analysis
 Multi-Layer Computer Programs
 Introduction
Typical Flexible Pavement Section can
be idealized as a multi-layered system
Soil Subgrade
Sub-base course
Base course
Surface course
having different material properties
 Introduction
Methods of designing flexible pavements
Empirical with or without a soil test
Limiting shear failure
Mechanistic empirical
Currently, the design is largely empirical
Mechanistic design is becoming more
prevalent
 Introduction

Mechanistic approach requires the

accurate evaluation of
Stresses
Strains
Deflections
in pavements due to wheel loads
 Basics
Stress
Deflection/Deformation
Strain
Stiffness
Poisson’s Ratio
Hooke’s Theory of Elasticity
Principle of Superposition
 Approaches
To compute Stresses, Strains & Deflections

Layered elastic methods

Two-dimensional (2D) FE modeling

Three-dimensional (3D) FE modeling

 Layered Elastic Approach
 Is the most popular and easily understood
procedure.
 In this method, the system is divided into
an arbitrary number of horizontal layers
 The thickness of each individual layer and
material properties may vary from one
layer to the next.
 But in any one layer the material is
assumed to be homogeneous and linearly
elastic.
 Layered Elastic Approach
Although the layered elastic method is
more easily implemented than finite
element methods, it still has severe
limitations:
materials must be homogenous and
linearly elastic within each layer
the wheel loads applied on the
surface must be axi-symmetric
 2D Finite Element Analysis
 Plane strain or axis-symmetric conditions
are generally assumed.
 It can rigorously handle material anisotropy,
material nonlinearity, and a variety of
boundary conditions – more applicable to
practical situations
 Unfortunately, 2D models can not
accurately capture non-uniform tire contact
pressure and multiple wheel loads.
 3D Finite Element Analysis
 To overcome the limitations inherent in
2D modeling approaches, 3D finite
element models are becoming more
widespread.
 With 3D FE analysis, we can study the
response of flexible pavements under
spatially varying tire pavement contact
pressures.
 Single Layer Elastic Solutions
Homogeneous Half-Space
P Point Load

Material
E and µ
Vertical Stress
Shear Stress

Shear Stress
Horizontal
Radial Stress
Horizontal Tangential Stress
 Single Layer Elastic Solutions
Cylindrical Coordinates
 Boussinesq Theory – Point Load
Stresses
 Boussinesq Theory – Point Load
Strains
 Boussinesq Theory – Point Load
Deflections
Circular Load – Uniform Vertical Stress
Homogeneous Half-Space
Circular
Load

Material
E and µ
Vertical Stress
Shear Stress

Shear Stress
Horizontal
Radial Stress
Horizontal Tangential Stress
 Circular Load – Axis of symmetry
Stresses
At r = 0
 Circular Load – Axis of symmetry
Strains
At r = 0
 Circular Load – Axis of symmetry
Vertical Deflection

When Poisson’s ratio is 0.5

On the Surface (z = 0)
Circular Load – Uniform Vertical Stress
Foster and Ahlvin Charts (1954)
In the charts
Circular Load – Vertical Stress

After Foster and Ahlvin (1954)

Circular Load – Radial Stress

After Foster and Ahlvin (1954)

Circular Load – Tangential Stress

After Foster and Ahlvin (1954)

Circular Load – Shear Stress

After Foster and Ahlvin (1954)

Circular Load – Vertical Deflection

After Foster and Ahlvin (1954)

 Stresses in Layered Systems

Comparison of calculated and measured stresses

Source : Herner, HRB, 1955
Two Layer Elastic Solutions
Two Layer Elastic system

2a
p

h E1, µ1

E2, µ2
∞
 Two Layer Elastic Solutions
Burmister’s Theory

Vertical stress Distribution (h/a = 1 and μ = 0.5)

Source : Burmister, HRB 177, 1958
Two Layer Elastic Solutions

Vertical interface stresses (Source : Huang, 1969)

 Surface Deflections - Burmister
Flexible plate

Rigid plate
Surface Deflections - Burmister
E2 / E 1

h/a
Vertical surface Deflections (Source : Burmister, 1943)
Vertical Interface Deflections

Vertical Interface Deflections (Source : Huang, 1969)

Vertical Interface Deflections

Vertical Interface Deflections (Source : Huang, 1969)

Vertical Interface Deflections

Vertical Interface Deflections (Source : Huang, 1969)

Vertical Interface Deflections

Vertical Interface Deflections (Source : Huang, 1969)

 Equivalent Single Layer Concept
Odemark approximate method

Equivalent Thickness

Utilising Single layer solutions

 Equivalent Single Layer Concept
Odemark approximate method

Equivalent Thickness for two layer system

when μ1 = μ2

Utilising Single layer solutions

Three Layer Systems
Three Layer Elastic system
2a
p

σz1
E1, µ1 σr1 h1
Interface 1
σ'r1
E2, µ2 σz2 h2
σr2
Interface 2
σ'r2
E3, µ3
∞
Jones’ Tables
Jones’ Tables
Jones’ Tables

(Source : Jones, 1962)

 Jones’ Tables
Stress factors : ZZ1, ZZ2, ZZ1-RR1, ZZ2-RR2
Jones’ Tables
Peattie’s Charts

(Source : Peattie, 1962)

Peattie’s Charts

(Source : Peattie, 1962)

Peattie’s Charts

(Source : Peattie, 1962)

 Computer Programs
 To calculate stresses, strains and deflections of a
layered elastic system
 Gradually became more sophisticated in capability
to handle
• Linear elastic materials
• Nonlinear elastic granular materials
• Vertical and horizontal loads
• Elastic multilayer systems under multiple
wheel loads
• Stress dependent materials
• Finite element linear and nonlinear analysis
 Computer Programs
 Examples Include :
• BISTRO and BISAR (from Shell)
• ELSYM5 (from Chevron)
• ALIZEIII (LCPC) and CIRCLY (from MINCAD)
• DAMA (from Asphalt Institute)
• SAPIV and ELSYM5 (from University of California)
• ILLI-PAVE (Raad and Figueroa, 1980)
• PDMAP (Finn et al., 1986)
• MICH-PAVE (Harichandran et al., 1989)
• KENLAYER (Huang, 1993)
• Everstress (Washington State DOT, 1995)
Thank you