Analysis of tyre-pavement contact behaviour of heavy truck in full-scale test

Tyre-pavement contact behaviour is one of the core issues in pavement engineering. In this study, the tyre-pavement contact behaviour was investigated in full-scale tests. The pavement texture was characterised by a 3D scanner and the sand patch method. The data of tyre-pavement contact stress were collected by a pressure distribution measurement system. The characteristics of the tyre-pavement contact stress distribution were explored by introducing the Boltzmann model. The feasibility of the Hertz model in assessing the tyre-pavement contact behaviour was evaluated. The results showed that the tyre-pavement carries a larger load by extending the contact area in longitudinal direction and increasing the contact stress mainly at the lateral edges. The pavement texture has significant effects on the contact behavior. Under the regular tyre vertical force range, the value of contact stress is within 1000 kPa for about 80% of the tyre-pavement contact area, but the maximum contact stress can be up to 3000 kPa. The Boltzmann model can be used to fit the contact stress distribution, and some parameters of the model have linear relationships with pavement surface macrotexture. The Hertz model can reflect the average state of tyre-pavement contact behaviour.