Impact of continuous driving and braking on displacements in modular pavements with different laying schemes

Prefabricated concrete elements are widely used for pavement surfaces on urban and local roads. This paper presents an analysis and comparison of pavement structures composed of these elements, focusing on displacements under continuous driving loads and braking forces, to analyze the behavior of prefabricated concrete elements and overall pavement structures under different load actions. The study emphasizes the importance of accounting for braking forces in pavement design, as they significantly influence surface displacements and overall performance. The behavior of the pavement is simulated using five structural configurations, two joint widths, two subbase types, and four subgrade types via the finite element method. Results indicate that elements with 3 mm joints exhibit smaller displacements than those with 5 mm joints and that the geometry of the interlocking significantly influences the deformation under braking-type loading. Furthermore, crushed stone subbases perform better in controlling vertical movements, while natural sand-gravel subbases provide improved horizontal movement behavior.