Investigation of the dynamic response of subgrade vibration compaction based on the finite element method

Abstract

A three-dimensional finite element model of a vibratory wheel on soil is established though the use of the ABAQUS software platform to investigate the interaction between the wheel and soil and the resulting dynamic response during vibratory compaction. The extended linear Drucker Prager model is used to reflect the plastic deformation characteristics of the soil. The truncated boundary is treated by using a three-dimensional uniform viscoelastic artificial boundary method. The vibratory responses of the soil under the wheel, including the stress and contact force, are analyzed by using numerical simulations. The results show a decrease in the soil vertical stress at the edge of the vibrating wheel transverse to the wheel path, which may assist in identifying the rolling overlap width of the wheel. Along the wheel path, the vertical stress center is demonstrated to lie ahead of the vibrating wheel mass center, caused by the inclination of the wheel soil contact surface. The contact pressure and total grounding width of the soil under the wheel can be calculated by using the finite element method; only one-third of the total width could produce effective compression deformation.

Keywords

• pavement management
• vibratory compaction
• finite element
• dynamical responses
• subgrade