Rutting Predictions in Flexible Airfield Pavements Using a Newly Modified Drucker–Prager Combined Hardening Model with Progressively Evolving Yield Surface

Granular materials subjected to compressive cyclic loading of constant amplitude when modeled using an isotropic hardening, elastoplastic Drucker-Prager (DP) model do not accumulate significant plastic strain beyond the first loading cycle. This can lead to predictions of permanent deformations in airfield asphalt pavements that do not compare well with experimental observations. Accordingly, this paper proposes a modification to the existing DP model as a means of accounting for this shortcoming. A new parameter, γ, is introduced, which causes the yield surface to progressively evolve and shrink in size during successive load cycles to account for microphysical restructuring of the granular material during constant amplitude cyclic loading. The constitutive model is implemented within the finite element code ABAQUS through the user material subroutine UMAT. The model is subsequently tested via 2D finite element analysis on pavement sections by applying it to the granular base and modeling all other layers as linear elastic. Validation is undertaken by comparing rutting with field experimental values from an accelerated pavement testing program. Increased equivalent plastic strain and vertical plastic strains are observed with this modification, thereby resulting in rutting values that are significantly closer to the experimental data than those obtained with the classical DP model.