LAUSR

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a methodology which is composed of differential quadrature element method (DQEM) and Newmark’s time integration scheme for response analysis of viscoelastic pavement under vehicular loads. An incremental form of Boltzmann’s correspondence principle together with the generalised Maxwell–Wiechert model is employed to simulate the viscoelastic stress-dependent behaviour of asphalt concrete. The obtained incremental constitutive relations and equations of motion under the axisymmetric conditions are discretised using the DQEM and Newmark’s scheme in the spatial and temporal domain, respectively. A computer code based on the presented formulation is developed to provide the numerical results. The fast rate of convergence of the method is numerically demonstrated, and its high accuracy is exhibited by comparing the results with existing solutions in the literature, and also with those of ABAQUS software. Finally, the axisymmetric viscoelastic pavement under vehicular loading with different asphalt materials and thicknesses, and different values of the load duration of vehicles are analysed both quasi-statically and dynamically.