Pavement Model Generation Interface, Report 1 - Formulation and Operation of the System
Abstract
Today's pavement design calls for more emphasis on pavement performance prediction. This is a far more complex task than traditional designs that strive to provide safe thickness and specifications for the material. Modem computational mechanics provide application tools to deal with this new challenge, provided material models are created that predict cumulative deformations under traffic loading. The most theoretically rigorous analytical capabilities available today are found implemented within many of the commercial general-purpose finite element (FEM) computer programs. In order to correctly apply these analytical methods, it is necessary to produce FEM models of pavements systems that can be easily changed to allow for parameteric studies of the effects of load, environment, layer thickness, material properties, geometric properties, and boundary conditions. The Pavement Model Generation Interface (PMGI) is a unique tool created expressly for that purpose. It allows pavement analysts to crate FEM grids and load steps for pavement systems with a minimal amount of effort when compared with the tedious procedures required to produce these massive 3-D grids by traditional preprocessing methods. This report documents the Formulation, Development, and Operation of the specific tools at hand, i.e., MSC/PATRAN and ABAQUS (A General Purpose Finite Element Code), in the development of an improved analytical model for pavements. This report will be the first of a series of reports documenting the PMGI. The application and examples of using the PMGI will be detailed in subsequent reports.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA417965
Entities
People
- Barton W. Mcpheeters
- Donald M. Smith
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center