Numerical Evaluation of Rutting in Rubberized Asphalt Mixture Using Finite Element Modeling Based on Experimental Viscoelastic Properties

Abstract

Asphalt pavement rutting is one of the most commonly observed pavement distresses, and crumb rubber can decrease this distress. This paper uses the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite-element method (FEM) to simulate wheel track testing to predict rut depth in rubberized and conventional asphalt mixes and links these behaviors to an accelerated performance testing tool. Dynamic creep tests are performed on different specimens to obtain material parameters of the creep power law that is then used to model the viscoelastic behavior of asphalt mixtures. The Hamburg wheel rut tester (HWRT) is used for asphalt laboratory-accelerated rutting resistance testing and for calibration of material parameters developed in a dynamic creep test. Finite-element software is used to simulate HWRT and outputs of models are compared with the experimental observations. The results show that the difference between the predicted rut depth in 2D and 3D modeling and the measured rut depth in the laboratory is 13.5 and 11.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the rubberized asphalt mixture has 36% less rut depth than the conventional asphalt mixture.