ABSTRACT
Multilayer theory (MLT) is one of the most widely used numerical methods for determining pavement responses. The main advantage of MLT compared to other numerical solutions is its efficiency in computational time. From the mathematical point of view, the solution of the continuum mechanics equations using MLT can be obtained by two different approaches: using Hankel transforms and using Fourier transforms. The first approach is based on the solution of an axisymmetric problem with a constant circular load expressed in the form of Hankel functions. The second approach consists of taking a two-dimensional Fourier transform of the traffic load and solving the equilibrium equation for each Fourier term. The advantage of the Fourier method over the Hankel method is that it can simulate non-circular loads, including dynamic and viscoelastic effects. The Fourier method was programmed in a software, called DynaPave, which includes state-of-the-art viscoelastic material models, such as the Olard-Di Benedetto model and the Huet-Sayegh model. In this paper, DynaPave is used to determine the viscoelastic responses of asphalt pavements under the action of moving loads. Two design cases were conducted to evaluate how the viscoelastic behavior of asphalt materials and the irregular shape of the traffic load affect the pavement responses.
