Project

Numerical Simulation of Pavement Installed with Wicking Geotextile in Responses to Climatic Conditions

Team

Dr. Xiong Zhang
Missouri University of Science & Technology

Description

Several field applications and laboratory research have identified the short-term benefits of a multi-functional wicking geotextile in removing water from the soil and improving pavement performance. In line with an on-going project to continuously monitor field performance of pavement with applications of wicking geotextile, this project aims to further understand the working mechanism of the wicking geotextile under field conditions through numerical simulation, and to quantify its benefits into existing pavement design. The expected research results will be a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model that can depict the climate-plant-unsaturated soil infrastructure interactions, numerical simulation results of wicking geotextile long-term performance under different climatic conditions, and recommendations on incorporating the wicking geotextile benefits into current pavement design guides. The proposed research will contribute to developing an effective, sustainable approach for pavement preservation using new materials and technology, which will benefit extending pavement life, and producing significant saving to the State and Federal funding on repair and maintenance.

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