Comparison of elastic and viscoelastic analysis of asphalt pavement at high temperature

Abstract

There are many various rheological models which are used for modeling of asphalt layers in flexible pavement structures. It can be expected that the use of various models may affect different results of mechanical pavement calculations and analysis. The paper presents comparison of the use of Burgers’ and Huet-Sayegh's viscoelastic models and Hooke's elastic model to calculate pavement deflections and strains at the bottom of asphalt layers at high temperatures (from 20 °C to 50 °C). The authors assumed Polish typical flexible pavement structure and standard wheel loading. The analysis were performed under the central point of pavement loading area. Performed calculations showed that the effect of the use of rheological models may be, from practical point of view, more significant for strains at the bottom of asphalt layers than for the pavement displacements at high temperatures.