Dimensionamento de diferentes estruturas de pavimentos submetidas a quatro solicitações de tráfego: análise pelos métodos do DNER E MeDiNa, considerando o desempenho e os custos por solicitação

Abstract

Freight transportation via highways is widely used in Brazil. However, the changes occurring in the field of paving have been significant. In view of this, the design by mechanistic-empirical methodologies becomes increasingly present in the national context, with the creation of the National Pavement Design Method (MeDiNa), with more accurate analyses not only of the materials used, but also of the stresses and strains developed in the pavement. As a result of this, this work demonstrates the design and evaluation of pavements, both with the DNER method and the MeDiNa method, in order to compare the structures, designed for different traffic flows and using different materials for the pavement sub-base layers, as well as different compaction energies for the subgrade, and variation of asphalt coatings, always maintaining the same granular base. The objective of this research is to analyze the pavement materials, with regard to quality and cost, in relation to the number of cycles, aiming at a budgetary and technical comparison of the methods and materials used in the long term. It was possible to investigate the behavior of the subgrade in relation to the compaction energy and to see that it influences the pavement as a whole. Furthermore, for the subgrade with the exchange of materials, it is possible to see that a good quality soil can have superior characteristics to granular subgrades, and its use brings lower costs to the structure. Finally, it was possible to verify that the MeDiNa method, if compared to DNER, brings pavement that tend to be more efficient. The pavements maintain the design life, i.e., they do not fail by fatigue and rutting within the design period, and they also have lower cost if compared to the km cost by pavement requests. Such savings occur because the method provides greater ease of comparison and replacement of pavement materials and layers, which optimizes the designer's work.