Propagation Mechanisms for Surface Initiated Cracking in Composite Pavements

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to identify the mechanisms for the development and propagation of longitudinal cracks that initiate at the surface of composite pavement. In this study the finite element program ANSYS version (5.4) was used and the model worked out using this program has the ability to analyze a composite pavement structure of different layer properties. Also, the aim of this study was modeling and analyzing of the composite pavement structure with the physical presence of crack induced in concrete underlying layer. The results obtained indicates that increasing the thickness of the asphalt layer tends to decrease the stress intensity factor, which may be attributed to the rapidly decrease of horizontal tensile stress in the asphalt layer. The cracks initiate at the surface due to high vertical stress and shear stress from wheel loads tends to propagate downward due tensile stress generated at the bottom of the asphalt layer or near crack tip, and the whole process occur at the same location of the existing cracks in underlying concrete layer rather than travel up from existing crack. As the load position varies from the crack zone, this result in tensile stresses or tension at the crack tip, leading to increase the stress intensity factor and intern result in crack propagation further into the depth of the pavement.