Analysis of a flexible road pavement on a subgrade with an inclusion in the form of a pipeline running along the road axis

The paper presents an analysis of a flexible road pavement with a concrete pipeline running along the road axis, just under the pavement. The subgrade of such a pavement cannot be regarded as homogenous and the design cannot be limited to merely the selection of a catalogue pavement structure or to the direct application of the mechanistic-empirical method. Additional analyses are necessary in order to evaluate whether the proposed road design will provide proper protection for the underground structures located in the subgrade. The problem is considered as three-dimensional and the analyses are carried out using the finite element method. The proposed design variants are evaluated and the solution recommended for considered case is indicated. Moreover, the results of parametric analyses of the selected variant, carried out to determine the influence of the backfill parameters on the deformation of the geosynthetic reinforcement in the road foundation and on the tensile stresses in the concrete pipe, are presented.