Laboratory fatigue evaluation of continuously fiber-reinforced concrete pavement.

PDFTech Report14-3CContinuously reinforced concrete pavementsLoad transferPavement jointsCost effectivenessFatigue (Mechanics)Laboratory testsFiber reinforced concreteLouisianaLouisiana Transportation Research CenterRupnow, Tyson D.Louisiana Transportation Research CenterNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Pavement Management and PerformanceNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Construction and MaintenanceUS Transportation CollectionPortland cement concrete (PCC) is the world\ue2\u20ac\u2122s most versatile construction material. PCC hasbeen in use in the United States for over 100 years. PCC pavement is generally constructed aseither continually reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) or jointed plain concrete pavement(JPCP). CRCP is constructed with steel reinforcing totaling about 0.7 percent that is intendedfor crack control and to provide load transfer once cracks have formed by keeping crack facesin close contact. JPCP is constructed from unreinforced concrete with steel dowel bars over thesaw-cut joints to provide load transfer between slabs. CRCP has the advantage of not havingjoints, which leads to better ride quality and generally longer life, if constructed properly. JPCPis advantageous because it generally costs about 20 percent less than a comparable CRCPsection. The major drawback to JPCP is the joints. The relatively large saw-cut joints producemore noise generation than CRCP, and create points for water movement into the pavementstructure. Recently, it has been noticed on a wide scale within the United States that a greatnumber of JPCPs in the 15-25 year age range are exhibiting spalling and severe deteriorationat the joints. Various theories are being explored nationally to explain the causes of prematurejoint deterioration, but all fall into the categories of unwanted moisture at the joint locations ordamage caused in the sawing process. Concrete is durable and premature joint deterioration isunacceptable, as the intended design life of many of these pavement structures is 30-40 years. Aneed exists to produce a jointless pavement with the high cost of CRCP