Influence of Cracks on the Lifetime of Semi-Rigid Pavements

Abstract This paper focuses on a better understanding of the process of reflective cracking propagation through the pavement structure. A series of finite element numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the initial stress and strain states in typical semi-rigid pavements with and without reflective cracks under traffic loading. It was assumed that reflective-cracks propagate from the base layer to the pavement surface. The influence of selected parameters, such as the load position, overlay thickness, and subgrade quality on stress and strain concentrations was investigated. The behaviour of the pavement structure under repeated traffic loading was analyzed in terms of ground compaction. The original theoretical model proposed by Prof. Andrzej Sawicki was used to predict the deformation of a pavement subgrade subjected to traffic loading. The damaging effect of cracks appearing in the pavement structure was investigated. It was found that even a single crack in the pavement structure may significantly reduce the pavement lifetime.