Finite element modeling of fatigue shear tests: Contribution to pavement lifetime design under traffic loading

Abstract : Pavement overlaying is a repair technique mainly used for road network maintenance. Durability of pavement depend strongly on reflective cracking phenomenon. A pavement structure is submitted to thermal variations and traffic loading. All design methods assume opening mode and neglect shearing mode when trucks axles are closed to pre-existing cracks. Assuming an uncoupled approach, we limit ourselves to traffic loading and shear fatigue model is proposed. With taking into account of a localized degradation scheme, both crack initiation and crack propagation are considered. The damage law proposed is stemming of experimental data. This fatigue model is integrated in a finite element code (CAST3M). The principal objective of this study is the development of a model based on an overall resistant cord. The suggested modeling of the bituminous mixtures behavior above cracks would contribute to improve pavement repair design. In this way a numerical study has been carried out to quantify the effect of mesh refinement and loading conditions