Development and experimental validation of a numerical model for the prediction of ground vibration generated by pavement breaking

• Numerical model for prediction of ground vibration by pavement breaking.
• Model accounting for inelastic soil behaviour and slab uplifting.
• Validation by comparison with experimental results.

Pavement breakers are used to break rigid pavements and obtain a suitable foundation for new top layers or to enable pavement removal. The operation of falling weight pavement breakers generates high levels of ground vibration which is potentially damaging to nearby buildings and infrastructure. A numerical model for the prediction of ground vibration generated by pavement breaking is presented in this paper. First, the impact load due to a single blow of a falling weight pavement breaker is estimated by means of a simplified model of the hammer, the pavement, and the underlying soil. The predicted impact load is in good agreement with experimental results, which have been estimated from measured accelerations of one of the hammers of a pavement breaker. Second, the response of the pavement and the soil due to the impact load is considered. In order to account for inelastic soil behaviour and slab uplifting, a non-linear model of the coupled road-soil system is developed. Predictions of ground vibrations generated by the operation of a multi-head pavement breaker are validated by comparison with experimental results. A relatively good agreement is obtained between the results of the non-linear model and measured ground vibration. Comparison with results obtained with a linear model shows that disregarding non-linear phenomena leads to significant overestimation of the ground vibration levels close to the source, whereas similar results are obtained at larger distances.