Finite Element Analysis of Cracked Flexible Pavements Embedded with Controlled Low-Strength Material Bases

Abstract

Abstract. Cracks resulting from shrinkage due to temperature or moisture usually exist in the flexible pavements in highways and runways of airport. This paper presents at finite element analysis of 4-layered flexible pavements with a penetrated longitudinal crack on surface layer embedded with controlled low-strength materials (CLSM) bases which are well-known recycling sustainable materials. Two-dimensional deformation assumption is employed. Emphasis is put on the effect of using CLSM bases on the reduction surface settlement, horizontal and vertical stresses as well as crack face displacements. Two kinds of CLSMs, i.e., CLSM-B80/30% and CLSM-B130/30% are compared with graded crushed stones and AC used for base materials. Numerical study shows that vertical settlements, vertical and horizontal stresses by using CLSM-B130/30% base is smaller than that by using graded crushed stone and is shown to be good material employed as base substitute for graded crushed stone in flexible pavement design.

Parameter Recognition of Engineering Constants of CLSMs in Civil Engineering Using Artificial Neural Networks

“…There are several studies on the engineering properties of CLSMs by laboratory experiments [5][6][7][8][9][10], and numerical analyses of applications of CLSM to civil engineering, such as excavation and backfill after retaining walls [11][12][13], bridge abutments [14][15][16][17], pipeline and trench ducts [18], pavement bases [19][20][21][22][23][24], and so on. All these studies reflect requirement of the identification of mechanical constants of the CLSMs.…”