Numerical Simulation and Structural Mechanical Analysis of Asphalt Pavement due to Abrupt Temperature Drop

Abstract

Due to the natural condition of the sudden temperature drop when the cold wave strikes the north part of China in winter, especially XinJiang province, the asphalt pavement structures need to be compared. Based on the pavement structures of the test road sections andthe domestic major pavement structures in other provinces, seven pavement structures were chosen. The numerical simulation of these seven pavement structures was performed and the force situations were analyzed respectively under the condition of extreme climate environment, which is the condition of cooling 40 °C from 0 °C in winter. The analysis of the temperature-load coupling of these pavement structures from seven different base forms were conducted. The comprehensive comparison was also made, such as stresses and strains at the bottom layer of asphalt, the stresses of the base, the shear stresses of the asphalt layer, and the compressive strains of the top of base, etc., in order to choose the preferred and most adapted asphalt pavement structure form.