A numerical study of damage evaluation in jointed plain concrete pavements considering alternative materials for dowel bars

Resumo

Abstract. It is well-known in the design of jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) that the concrete damage due
to stress near the dowel bars is a key factor that affects the service life of such structures. This study aimed to
evaluate numerically the differences in the damage distribution in the concrete near the dowel bars in JPCP
considering alternative materials for the bars. Two materials were considered for the dowels: steel and glass fiber
reinforced polymer (GFRP). The adopted constitutive model for the concrete was the concrete damage plasticity.
Interactions between the concrete and the dowel bars were simulated by surface-to-surface contact type. The finite
element models were validated by comparing available experimental load-displacement curves with the obtained
numerical ones. The results for the damage distributions reveal that the use of GFRP bars has induced smaller
damage values within a smaller damaged zone when compared with the dowel steel bar model. As a consequence,
smaller cracks in such zones will appear which will increase the structural life of the pavement. Also, a higher
ultimate load for JPCP with GFRP bars is observed.