Evolution of the Deflection According to Truck Overloading—Comparison between Benkelman Beam Method and FEM of Lateritic Pavements

Abstract

The study of the deflection due to the passage of an axle on a pavement structure has the advantage to make possible to pronounce on the portance, the rigidity and the homogeneity of this one. In the case where the allowed axle load is not respected, surface deflection leads to premature deterioration of the roadway. In order to study the evolution of these deformations, deflection measurements were made by using the Benkelman method in the Fatick-Kaolack road in Senegal by varying the axle load with the following values: 10, 13 and 16 tons on three different zones. The results show a linear evolution of the deflection as a function of the axle load. Also, the impact of truck overloading was studied by considering different values of the axle load with comparison to the allowed axle load by using frequent types of vehicle. A numerical simulation of the Cast3M pavement was done first, in the case of an isolated single wheel with a radius of 12.5 cm, then in the case of an equivalent dual wheel with a radius of 18.1 cm for loads of 10 to 19 tons. In the same way, the pavement design software (ALIZE) is used to analyse the variation of the axle load. The results show a linear evolution of the deflection, which corroborates the measurements made in the field and those obtained by Samb (2014) with a slope coefficient equal to 1.7. Nevertheless, the case of an isolated single wheel of 12.5 cm radius is closest to the measurements with a straight line of slope coefficient equal to 1.9.