ABSTRACT
This paper demonstrates the use of a simple approach to model the mechanical response of cement-stabilized quarry fines (CQF) as bounded base layer material in pavement structures. Quarry fines are secondary materials, i.e. by-products of industrial processes. Quarry fines can be stabilized with chemical agents like cement to improve their strength and stiffness as part of a pavement structure. Using a finite element model of a pavement structure, the response of CQF material was first approximated as fully elastic under static traffic loading. This preliminary result was followed by an iterative process to calculate the resilient modulus of the material, adjusting its response element by element to the individual three-dimensional stress conditions experienced at every spatial coordinate (i.e. principal stresses of the individual finite elements). After 3-5 iterations, the stresses on the CQF and other layers in the pavement structure were found to stabilize and converge.
