Structural response of high performance concrete pavements

14666(0)14696(0)Rigid pavements make up a significant percentage of highway systems in the United States and abroad. Concrete pavements provide an economical and durable solution for highway systems, because the pavements last longer and require less maintenance. Recently, there has been great interest in the construction of a higher quality concrete pavement, referred to as High Performance Concrete Pavements (HPCP), which could be in service longer and have lower maintenance and life cycle costs. General criteria were established by federal and state highway agencies to help in the design of these more durable and economical concrete pavements. This higher quality concrete pavement should incorporate recycled waste products, and utilize innovative construction equipment and procedures. These pavements should also have a shorter construction time and an ultra-smooth ride quality surface. With these criteria in mind, investigations have been launched to discover methods for improving the quality of concrete pavements. One area of interest involves the use of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) as cementitious material in concrete pavement