Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of Strain Distribution in Asphalt Material Under Moving Loads of the French Wheel Tracking Test

The primary purpose of a pavement is to distribute the load generated by traffic across its various layers. To better understand the effects of tire-pavement interaction, the FWTT (French Wheel Tracking Tester) laboratory test is conducted. In this research, our objective is to develop a three-dimensional numerical model that closely fits the FWTT test conditions and provides comparable strains and displacements fields with the experiment. The model will accurately represent the wheel footprint geometry and pressure, identified using TekScan device, and replicate the same configuration as the test. Instead of applying incremental loading, the wheel’s movement over the specimen will be simulated using real vertical and horizontal forces. These unique characteristics of the model distinguish our research from previous studies. The current model, based on the finite element method, utilizes LMGC90 software and incorporates a viscoelastic constitutive model. The results obtained from the model demonstrate the agreement with the vertical displacement measurement, as well as the vertical and longitudinal strains.