Numerical calculation of strength and shear resistance of non-rigid road pavement by the finite element method

The paper presents 2D mathematical simulation results for a T-90 tank interacting with the III-type road in a plane-strain formulation. The purpose of the work is to determine the vertical deflection of an asphalt-concrete road, as well as the load factor of the two-layer road pavement (dense-graded asphalt concrete, open-graded asphalt concrete) and two-layer roadbed (gravel roadbed, ground roadbed - silt sandy loam). To calculate the load factor of the road pavement, the ratio of the von Mises stress to the ultimate compression stress is used. To analyze the shear resistance of the roadbed, the modified Drucker–Prager strength criterion is utilized. The computed results reveal the maximum vertical deflection in the contact area of the tracks. In the same area, the load factor of the road pavement is 3–12, which indicates the high bearing capacity of the dense-graded asphalt concrete. Analysis of the shear resistance of the roadbed shows that irreversible deformations occur in the gravel base in the contact area of the tracks, which can lead to the subsidence of the coating, while the load factor for sandy loam is 3–10.