PhD : Multi-scale study of tire-pavement interaction under rolling conditions based on the coupling of Finite element method and Discrete element method.

PhD defense: Haitao GE

Team: GCE

Title: Multi-scale study of tire-pavement interaction under rolling conditions based on the coupling of Finite element method and Discrete element method.

Summary:

As traffic grows by leaps and bounds, deterioration of asphalt surface layers emerges as the primary cause of road network costs. A deep understanding of the tire-pavement interaction is essential for optimizing the surface design of asphalt pavements in the context of aging infrastructure and limited maintenance resources. To cope the difficulties rising from the complexity and inadequacy of experimental test methods in examining the tire-pavement interaction system, numerical approaches such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) have emerged as a promising and effective way of gaining insight into asphalt mixture performance in recent decades. Most of the current tire-pavement interaction studies have been conducted in the continuum mechanics framework using FEM, which shows limitations in modeling the discontinuity nature of asphalt mixtures. DEM offers a promising way to examine the mechanical properties of asphalt mixtures at the particle level, but it is inadequate for modeling deformable tire structure and capturing realistic tire contact forces on the pavement surface. This thesis is dedicated to the investigation of the tire-pavement interaction system based on numerical simulations. Two main numerical methods, FEM and DEM, are used to model this system from multi-scales, differently. The present study provides a multi-scale simulation method incorporating FEM with DEM together to analyze tire-pavement interaction mechanisms under realistic rolling tire loads, which offers a promising way of understanding pavement surface deterioration and optimizing pavement surface design.

The jury will be composed of:

•M. HAMMOUM Ferhat : Rapporteur (Directeur de recherches, Université Gustave Eiffel)
•M. RENOUF Mathieu : Rapporteur (Chargé de recherche (HDR), Université de Montpellier)
•Mme. RAAB Christiane : Examinateur (Professeur des universités, EMPA de Zürich (Suisse))

•M. NELIAS Daniel : Examinateur (Professeur des universités, INSA Lyon)

•M. CHAZALLON Cyrille : Directeur de thèse (Professeur des universités, INSA Strasbourg)

•M. LE HOUEROU Vincent : Co-directeur de thèse (Professeur des universités, Université de Strasbourg)
•M. QUEZADA Juan Carlos : Co-encadrant (Maître de conférences, INSA Strasbourg)
•M. SHIFERAW Benjamin : Membre invité (Ingénieur de recherche et développement, Colas S.A.)

The defense will be held in English and will take place on March, 7th at 13h30 in the Amphithéâtre Arts et Industrie at INSA Strasbourg. The defense will be in English, followed by a reception. It will also be accessible live remotely with the following link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3abdQrWqXNtrGfJcvjBm-2SyfJMw_r3o3kRS9meqi578E1%40thread.tacv2/1677657266559?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%222cc07976-fc78-4d8f-83f5-186b62dd975b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2273fe31e4-6bc6-4dea-802a-9eb6d7e59465%22%7d