This research presents an experimental and numerical study on the behavior of rigid pavement slabs
reinforced with different types of meshes under impact loading. The experimental program investigated several
variables, including the effect of incorporating fiberglass as an additional reinforcement, along with different types
and quantities of reinforcement meshes. These included low- and high-strength Gavazzi (glass fiber) meshes,
expanded steel meshes, welded wire meshes, Tensar meshes, and Tenax meshes. Findings revealed that the use of
reinforcement meshes—particularly the expanded mesh—led to a significant improvement in crack resistance.
Notably, the number of impacts required to initiate the first crack increased from only 2 blows in the control
specimen to 11 in the reinforced one, with the lowest corresponding crack displacement recorded at 0.14 mm.
Furthermore, slabs reinforced with expanded mesh demonstrated the highest impact endurance until final failure,
withstanding up to 90 blows, reflecting their high efficiency in enhancing structural performance under repeated
impact loading. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the expanded mesh proved to be the most economical, with an average
cost of EGP 2.89 per blow, followed by welded mesh at EGP 3.18. In contrast, Gavazzi meshes were the least
economical, with a cost of EGP 6.37 per blow. Numerical modeling using Abaqus software showed good agreement
with the experimental results in terms of failure modes and crack distribution. It also accurately represented both the
displacement associated with the first crack and the final displacement at failure, thereby enhancing the reliability of
the numerical model in studying the behavior of these slabs under impact loading. |
