Development of a mechanistic model for geosynthetic-reinforced flexible pavements

Geogrids and geotextiles enhance the performance and design of flexible pavements by providing geosynthetic reinforcement to the pavement structure. The structural performance of a layered pavement system is improved through the use of geogrids and high-strength geotextiles as base and sub-base reinforcement. Based on the finite element methodology, a non-linear mechanistic model was developed and utilized to investigate the structural benefit provided by geosynthetic reinforcement. The non-linear mechanistic model was employed to compare responses predicted from isotropic and cross-anisotropic characterizations of the granular base layer in unreinforced and geosynthetic-reinforced conventional flexible pavements. Results indicated that the use of a high-stiffness geogrid reinforcement typically reduced critical pavement responses, computed due to traffic loading and used primarily in mechanistic-based pavement thickness design. Higher percentage reductions in critical pavement responses, and thus increas...