Title: Experimental Fatigue Analysis of Stresses Caused by Superloads on Concrete Pavements

Author(s): Nathanial Buettner and Julie Vandenbossche

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 120

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 63-72

Keywords: damage; fatigue; nonlinear; overload; pavement; superload

DOI: 10.14359/51739086

Date: 11/1/2023

Abstract:
Superloads, defined as vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of over 890 kN, are believed to overload jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCPs) and have the potential to cause significantly more fatigue damage than typical truck traffic. It is anticipated that the fatigue damage is greater when the superload is applied later in the life of the JPCP. In this study, the stress pulses generated by superloads on JPCPs were characterized using finite element modeling and related to fatigue damage through the fatigue testing of concrete beams. Concrete beams subjected to loading profiles that simulate those of a superload were observed to accumulate fatigue damage at an accelerated rate when applied after 70% of the fatigue life of the concrete was consumed. Moreover, through the collection of fatigue life and beam response data, the effects of stress ratio, stress range, flexural strength, and damage state at the time of loading on the fatigue damage imposed by a superload movement were elucidated.