An FEM-predictive tool for simulating the cooling characteristics of freshly paved asphalt concrete layers

Accurate simulation of the cooling characteristics of newly paved asphalt concrete (AC) layers is of particular significance due to its potential use in efficient planning and scheduling of paving works. This study builds on principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer to develop a finite element framework that simulates the actual cooling of newly paved AC layers. For a given set of climatic conditions, such as wind, solar flux and air temperature, the presented model incorporates the effects of conduction, convection and radiation to predict the cooling rates of the pavement. The model is first validated using data acquired from laboratory and field set-ups. Then, the model is used to assess the effect of critical parameters such as layer thickness, time of paving, and material properties on asphalt cooling rates and their impact on paving operations.