Three-dimensional finite element modelling of rigid pavement buckling

Pavement buckling occurs when a concrete slab incurs excessive compressive forces at its joints, ultimately leading to failure. An increase in temperature and moisture typically instigates this failure, so as historically higher temperatures occur in the U.S., buckling is becoming more frequent. States such as Wisconsin have experienced a steady increase in buckling events over the last decade, and this trend is expected to be exacerbated by heat waves and climate change. This paper introduces a verified and validated finite element model to enhance the understanding of the buckling mechanism of jointed concrete pavement, which can be mitigated in the future. The three-dimensional model was created using the general finite element software Abaqus. This model is verified following standard practices and validated using forensic evaluation data from Wisconsin. The three-dimensional model considers factors including the concrete neutral temperature, coefficient of concrete thermal expansion, slab thickness, subgrade properties, initial slab deformation, friction and separation between the slab and the base, and the impact of accumulating incompressible materials along the transverse joint. Implementing this model can help identify sites at high risk of pavement buckling so that efforts to prevent buckling in the future may be initiated.