CICM 2015

First International Conference on

Advances in Civil Infrastructure and Construction Materials
MIST, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 14–15 December 2015

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF AIRFIELD FLEXIBLE

PAVEMENT

Tahmida H. Shimu1, Mohd. M. RAHMAN1, Md. Naim Hossain1, Nusrat J.

Nilu1, Khondaker S. Ahmed1
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Military Institute of Science and Technology
Mirpur Cantonment, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
E-mail: mehedi1341@gmail.com
tahmida@ce.mist.ac.bd

Abstract. In recent days, finite element analysis is widely introduced to minimize

the limitations associated with empirical methods in order to assess pavement
performance (Stress, Strain, and Displacement) in an efficient manner. This re-
search mainly focuses on the application of finite element method (FEM) to eval-
uate mechanical behaviors and pavement performance of an airfield pavement
under a standardized aircraft loading. For this purpose, a 2-Dimensional, 3-
layered aircraft pavement is modeled using finite element software ABAQUS
6.13. The layers are modeled as linear elastic layers which represent an asphalt
surface, an aggregate base and a granular subgrade. Dimensions and material
properties of these layers are taken from FAARFIELD, a software to design air-
port pavement. The aircraft wheel load is modeled as a uniform pressure load on
the asphalt surface for simplicity. The objective of this study is to evaluate air-
field pavement performance under simplified simulation environment in
ABAQUS to serve as a preliminary basis of stress-strain analysis of pavement
under aircraft loading.

Keywords: Finite element analysis, airfield flexible pavement, FAARFIELD,

dynamic loading.

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T. H. Shimu, M. Rahman, N. Hossain, Nusrat J. Nilu, S. M. Muniruzzaman, K. S. Ahmed

1 INTRODUCTION
Transportation system is referred to as one of the most essential infrastructures
that influence the overall development of a country. The design of airfield flexi-
ble pavement almost resembles to traditional empirical design methods of high-
way pavement and from generation to generation it is modified to handle
vulnerable situations. Airports are invincible part of air transportation system.
Most of the airports in our country are mainly flexible pavement comprising with
asphalt layer at top followed by base, sub-base (optional), and sub-grade [2]. This
pavement experiences not only domestic aircraft landing but also international.
The expansion and maintenance of international airports are quite difficult due to
financial constraints and land scarcity. As a result it generates a pressure on ex-
isting airport and ultimately affects both national and international communica-
tion [1-5]. To cater critical cases of existing pavement, an attempt has been taken
in this research for predicting pavement performance. Both 2-D and 3-D model-
ing of airfield pavement can be used to evaluate pavement performance [2].
Based on existing literature, direct/analytical solutions of design approaches
become convoluted due to some complexities of the system such as heavy air-
craft loading, complex tire configuration, and dynamic implicit nature and direc-
tion of loading and acceleration-deceleration phenomenon [5-6]. This is why
recent studies have approached numerical solutions by using finite element tech-
nique to study the pavement responses on an airfield.
In this study, a 2-D three layered pavement is modeled using finite element
package Abaqus to investigate the structural performance in terms stress distribu-
tion in different layers of airfield flexible pavement. Since such problem can be
idealized as plane stress problem, 2-D model is expected to extract results close
to 3-D approximation considering all other challenges. Material properties are
taken from FAARFIELD with an arbitrary aircraft combination. In addition, a
brief study of convergence for different seed control is also conducted and finally
meshing the most vital part is successively done by trial and error process with a
view to achieve higher degree of accuracy.

2 METHODOLOGY
This study focuses on evaluating structural responses of airfield pavement in 2-D
model using finite element software ABAQUS. A convenient approach has been
taken to establish a standard wheel configuration, wheel pressure, contact area to
use on this software for evaluating stress-strain characteristics of flexible pave-
ment. Stress-strain analysis is used to predict distresses in pavement and different
failure condition.
Basically, ABAQUS is a finite element software widely used for stress analysis.
In this software, modeling of structural systems can be executed through accom-
modating multifarious facilities such as boundary condition in both vertical and
horizontal directions, loading as pressure or velocity and direction, surface condi-

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 Finite Element Analysis of Airfield Flexible Pavement

tion, fine meshing,different material properties (linear elastic,elasto-plastic, hy-

po-elasticetc.) under a computer simulated environment [2]. Finally, using the
finite element technique the software generates various output variables as re-
quested such as plots of stress distribution and deflection along the modeled sys-
tems. The study of convergence of stress and deflection can also be done in this
software by changing the mesh size control and comparing the variation in stress-
deflection contour plots.

2.1 Dimensioning and Material Properties Considered

Considering four layered flexible pavement –HMA surface course, aggregate
base course, crushed aggregate subbase course and granular subgrade course,
thickness of different layers are extracted from FAARFIELD for an arbitrary air-
craft combination (Table-1). Arbitrary values are considered as inputs for annual
departures of aircrafts. For these thicknesses, a 3-layered 2-D pavement is mod-
eled in ABAQUS as a standard/explicit model. To simulate an infinite subgrade
layer in the bottom, this layer is ignored in the model and is replaced with a fixed
support. A constant slope of 45º is considered on both sides at each layer.
Assuming that all materials behave linearly within the elastic limit, moduli of
elasticity of different layers are also taken from FAARFIELD for the above men-
tioned combination of aircraft loading (Figure 1). A constant poison’s ratio of
0.35 is considered for all the layers as suggested in FAARFIELD. Densities of
these layers are taken from Advisory Circular of FAA [7] for a typical airfield
pavement (Table 2).

Table 1: Aircraft combination for which thickness of different layers are extract-
ed from FAARFIELD
Gross Wt. Annual
No. Name
lbs Departures
1 A320-100 150,796 360
2 B737-800 174,700 600
3 B757-300 273,500 800
4 B787-8 (Preliminary) 486,000 600
5 B707-320C 336,000 1,300
6 B737-900 174,700 300
7 A310-200 315,041 1,000
8 MD83 161,000 800
9 B777-200 ER 658,000 800

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T. H. Shimu, M. Rahman, N. Hossain, Nusrat J. Nilu, S. M. Muniruzzaman, K. S. Ahmed

Figure 1: Structure of flexible pavement

Table 2: Material properties of different pavement layers

Layer Poison's Density
Type
No. Ratio (pci)
1 P-401/ P-403 HMA Surface 0.35 0.069444
P-401/ P-403 St (flex) (Stabi- 0.070602
2 0.35
lized base coarse)
0.072338
3 P-209 Cr Ag (Sub base) 0.35

2.2 Boundary and Surface to Surface Interaction Modeling

Boundary conditions are considered as displacement or rotational. The bounda-
ries on both sides of the model are restricted to move along X axis and free to
move along Y axis (U1=0) and at the bottom fixed support is considered
(U1=U2=UR3=0) to simulate an infinite subgrade. Surface to surface interaction
is taken as Tie and internal friction among them is neglected.

2.3 Loading
In this study, a uniform pressure load is applied at the top of asphalt surface. The
loading value is obtained from FAARFIELD by considering the following pa-
rameters of Boeing 707-320C aircraft which is taken as the design aircraft for
this study (Table-3).

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 Finite Element Analysis of Airfield Flexible Pavement

Table 3: Loading parameters

Parameters Values considered
Aircraft Model B 707-320C
Gross Takeoff weight 336000 lbs
Tire Contact width 14 in
Wheel load 39900 lbs
Load given by FAARFIELD 2850 lb/in.

2.4 Element type and meshing

Fine meshing is done all through the section to obtain approximate results. Finer
local seeds are considered with a direction towards load and a biased ratio of 5
(>1) where load is applied to accommodate for the higher stress and nodal dis-
placements at that region. Meshing details used in this study are given in Table 4.

Table 4: Meshing details.

Mesh Control Quad-Dominated
Element Type Standard-Linear-Plane Stress
Layer No. Top Bottom
Number of seeds control (Edge) 1 160 50
2 50 55
3 55 60

Figure 2: Element meshing with bias ratio

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T. H. Shimu, M. Rahman, N. Hossain, Nusrat J. Nilu, S. M. Muniruzzaman, K. S. Ahmed

3 RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION

Finite element modeling provides stress in both directions. On the basis of ele-
ment type, meshing, boundary condition and surface modeling, large variations
in results are obtained. Stresses found in this study are shown in Figure 3.In this
case due to vertical static load, tensile strain in horizontal direction and compres-
sive strain in vertical direction prevail. Deflection plot found from analysis is
given in Figure 4.

Figure 3 : von-Mises stress contour plot Figure 4: Maximum deflection plot

Stress at the top layer of asphalt surface course is found maximum where the
load is applied as expected but there also generates a maximum stress zone at
contact surface of base and subbase course. A uniform pressure bulb is seen in
the stress contour plot as well as in deflection plot. Deflection gradually decreas-
es with the depth of pavement layer. Maximum and minimum stress and deflec-
tion at different layers are shown in Table 5.

Table 5 : Maximum and minimum stress and deflection at different layers

Layer Maximum Minimum stress Layer Maximum Minimum
Stress (psi) Deflection Deflection
(psi) (inch) (inch)
1st 2.741E+03 2.339E+02 1st 3.694E-01 1.231E-01
2nd 2.513E+03 6.898E+02 2nd 3.079E-01 6.157E-02
3rd 1.146E+03 2.339E+02 3rd 2.771E-01 3.079E-02

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 Finite Element Analysis of Airfield Flexible Pavement

A convergence study is done with varying element number at top layer. From
this study, it is found that stress increases with an ascending order along with
increasing number of element (Figure 4) and around at 300 no. of elements, the
convergence is established and the stress value becomes saturated.

Table 6: Summary of convergence study

Element No at Top Edge Maximum Stress, Psi
160 2.741E+03
200 2.781E+03
240 2.937E+03
280 3.289E+03
320 3.363E+03

Figure5: Stress variation for different no of element

4 CONCLUSION
To draw an overview of this study, a typical airfield pavement was initially de-
signed using FAARFIELD from where thicknesses of different layers and mate-
rial properties are obtained against an arbitrary aircraft combination. Basing upon
these parameters, a finite element model of airfield pavement was established in
ABAQUS. From stress analysis, maximum values of von misses stress were
found to be 2.741E+03, 2.513E+03 and 1.146E+03 psi, respectively at top, mid-
dle and bottom layer contact surfaces. These stress values found from this analy-
sis can be further used to draw allowable stress or limit stress for mechanistic or
empirical pavement design procedures. In addition, from the convergence check,

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T. H. Shimu, M. Rahman, N. Hossain, Nusrat J. Nilu, S. M. Muniruzzaman, K. S. Ahmed

a saturation condition was found at a number of element or mesh controls of 300

seeds at top edge. This parameter can be used to optimize the stress-strain analy-
sis of airfield pavement in further studies. A typical airfield pavement is of dy-
namic implicit nature as the pavement layers represent anisotropic characteristics.
The wheel loading is also of nonlinear nature to apprise for accelera-
tion/deceleration phenomenon of aircrafts. In this study, nonlinearity is
assimilated only in geometry but the layers are modeled as linear elastic with
standard/explicit system. A uniform and static pressure load which is equilibrium
to that of a design aircraft loading is considered to represent wheel load.
For further research, a 3D dynamic implicit model along with standard tire
imprint area can be carried out. Also, dynamic acceleration or velocity type load
to apprise for the true representation of aircraft landing and takeoff can be con-
sidered. Thus, a complete finite element study on airfield pavement design ap-
proach can produce an economic design procedure for airport runways.

REFERENCES
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