Mechanistic Evaluation of Saturated Bases under Concrete Pavements

Abstract

A mechanistic method for predicting the response of concrete pavements overlying a multilayer soil system is proposed. The method incorporates a finite-element discretization of a concrete slab and a variable foundation support that depends on the nonlinear resilient moduli of the underlying soil layers. The method allows for determination of excess pore-water pressure in saturated granular layers and the corresponding loss of foundation support under the pavement structure. To illustrate the idea, the proposed method was applied to investigate the behavior of a concrete pavement supported by granular bases over a soft clay layer. Moist-compacted and saturated conditions were examined for typical dense-graded and open-graded unbound granular bases. Pavement deflections, stresses, excess pore pressure, and compression settlement associated with pore-pressure dissipation for the different support conditions were evaluated and compared.