Innovative Algorithm to Solve Axisymmetric Displacement and Stress Fields in Multilayered Pavement Systems

• Published in: Journal of transportation engineering Vol. 137; no. 4; pp. 287 - 295
• Main Authors: Wang, Dong, Roesler, Jeffery R, Guo, Da-Zhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York American Society of Civil Engineers 01.04.2011
• Subjects: Algorithms; Axisymmetric; Civil engineering; Concrete pavements; Displacement; Inverse; Laplace transforms; Linear systems; Numerical analysis; Pavements; Stress analysis; Stresses; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Transforms
• ISSN: 0733-947X; 1943-5436
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000208

This paper presents an innovative algorithm to calculate the displacement and stress fields within a multilayered pavement system using layered elastic theory and Hankel and Laplace integral transforms. In particular, a recurrence relationship, which links the Hankel transform of displacements and stresses at any point P(r,z) within a multilayered pavement system with those at the surface point, Q(r,0), is systematically derived. The Hankel transforms of displacements and stresses at any point within a multilayered pavement system can be explicitly determined using the derived recurrence relationships, and the subsequent inverse Hankel transforms give the displacements and stresses at the point of interest. Theoretical and computational verification of the proposed algorithm justify its correctness. The proposed algorithm does not use a numerical linear system solver employed in the traditional approach to solve the axisymmetric problems in multilayered pavement systems. Because of the explicitly derived recurrence relationships for displacements and stresses, the proposed algorithm provides a more rapid solution time than the stress-function-based approach utilized in existing layered elastic theory programs.