DEVELOPMENT OF A PACKAGE FOR ANALYSIS OF BLOCK PAVEMENT BASED ON 3 DIMENSIONAL FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Abstract

A program package for analysis of block pavement based on 3 dimensional finite element method (Block-Pave3D) was developed. In the structural model of BlockPave3D, each block is divided with solid elements. Joint and cushion layer are replaced with interface elements. This modeling allows to take into account effects of laying pattern and geometry of block on deflections and stresses of block and subbase. Spring constants in the interface elements were estimated by a method based on portable FWD and Neural Network system (NNS). In the model, relationship between FWD deflections and combinations of spring constants was obtained from learning process of NNS. Stress analysis were conducted by BlockPave3D using spring constants estimated from the portable FWD deflections on the actual block pavements.