Atmospheric Temperature and Vehicle Loading Affect Rutting Formation in Asphalt Concrete Pavement

Abstract

This paper investigated the effect of atmospheric temperature and vehicle loading on the formation of rutting in asphalt concrete pavement. ABAQUS was utilized to build a three-dimensional model of pavement structure. With a combination of obtained temperature data, heat transfer theory, creep model, and three-dimensional finite element method, the trend in temperature variations in asphalt concrete pavement was determined. Formation of rutting under different vehicle loadings in different atmospheric temperatures was also analyzed. Results indicate a nonlinear formation of rutting with variations in atmospheric temperature. The rutting formation rate under high temperature is higher than that under low temperature. A linear correlation exists between rutting depth and vehicle loading under the same loading times. The increase in rutting under low temperature is higher than that under high temperature with the same loading increment. However, the increase in rutting depth absolute value is higher under high temperature than that under low temperature. Therefore, the anti-rutting characteristics of asphalt concrete under high temperature should be enhanced during material design. Overloading should also be controlled to avoid the formation of rutting. As a result, the normal service capability of asphalt concrete pavement can be maintained, and its service life can be extended.