Asphalt　concrete　(AC)　exhibits　noticeable　tension-compression　(TC)　asymmetry,　but　it　is　typically　considered　isotropic　in　pavement　design.　This　study　aims　to　quantitatively　evaluate　the　effect　of　AC＇s　TC　asymmetry　on　pavement　response　under　loading　through　numerical　modeling.　To　achieve　this　objective,　a　temperature-dependent　dual　viscoelastic　constitutive　model　was　applied　to　incorporate　AC＇s　TC　asymmetry　into　pavement　modeling.　Besides,　three　pavement　structure　models,　including　one　with　thick　AC　layers,　one　with　thin　AC　layers,　and　one　with　a　Portland　cement　concrete　(PCC)　base,　were　developed.　The　responses　of　the　three　pavement　structures　under　traffic　and　environmental　loading　conditions　were　simulated.　Modeling　results　showed　that　AC＇s　TC　asymmetry　can　significantly　increase　the　vertical　strain　in　AC,　leading　to　higher　stress　concentration　and　larger　deformation　in　AC　layers.　Unlike　the　conventional　understanding　that　tensile　strain　concentrates　at　the　bottom　of　AC　layers,　high　tensile　strains　were　observed　in　the　top　AC　layers,　especially　for　the　pavement　with　thick　AC　layers　or　a　PCC　base,　which　may　lead　to　top-down　cracking.　High　tensile　strains　were　observed　on　the　granular　subbase　for　the　pavement　with　thin　AC　layers,　which　may　induce　bottom-up　cracking.　Besides,　AC＇s　TC　asymmetry　also　significantly　increases　the　shear　strains,　especially　the　horizontal　shear　strain　in　AC　layers,　which　may　result　in　debonding　and　shoving　distresses　in　AC　layers.　It　was　also　noticed　that　the　pavement　response　highly　depends　on　its　temperature　and　vehicular　speed.　A　higher　temperature　or　lower　vehicular　speed　leads　to　more　significant　AC＇s　TC　asymmetry　as　well　as　its　effects　on　asphalt　pavement＇s　response.　The　outcomes　of　this　study　are　expected　to　help　enhance　the　design　and　maintenance　of　more　durable　asphalt　pavement.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd