Mechanical analysis of asphalt pavement based on bimodulus elasticity theory

The bimodulus elasticity theory was introduced into pavement mechanical analysis for the first time in this study. By developing an efficient finite element method of bimodulus structural calculation for asphalt pavement, the mechanical analysis of typical asphalt pavement structure in China was carried out. The results indicated that the mechanical properties of asphalt pavement based on the bimodulus theory are nonlinear and anisotropy. Besides, the deviation between the mechanical response calculation based on bimodulus elasticity theory and the traditional linear case was more than 50%. Moreover, a great deviation on the normal stress and strain was reported, but in the case of the shear stress and shear strain, a small error was found. Especially the mechanical response of the key points in pavement design was greatly affected by the difference in tensile and compressive moduli of surface layer and base cemented mixture, which had its maximum deviation is up to 280%. Due to the significant and inevitable difference in the tensile and compression modulus of pavement materials, the bimodulus elasticity theory is suggested to be used in the mechanical calculation of asphalt pavement design. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The bimodulus elasticity theory was introduced into pavement mechanical analysis for the first time in this study, resulting in the discovery of nonlinear and anisotropic mechanical properties of asphalt pavements based on this theory. The application of bimodulus elasticity theory in asphalt pavement design is affected by the differences in tensile and compression moduli, suggesting the use of this theory in mechanical calculations.