Structural Analysis and Design of PCC Shoulders

1982November 1976 - March 1980Ring, George W.A note of thanks is extended to Ms. Ruth Pembroke, Ms. Karon Webb, and Mrs. Carol Ewing for typing and editing this report, and also to Mr. George W. Ring, FHWA Project Monitor.PDFTech ReportFHWA/RD-81/122UILU-ENG-78-2017DOT-FH-11-9175Road shouldersAnalysisDesignConcreteFatigue (Mechanics)Rehabilitation (Maintenance)Lane/Shoulder TieUnited StatesUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationSawan, Jihad S.Darter, Michael I.Dempsey, Barry J.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dept. of Civil EngineeringUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationPembroke, RuthWebb, KaronEwing, CarolFederal Highway AdministrationA structural evaluation of PCC highway shoulders has been conducted and a comprehensive design procedure for plain jointed concrete shoulders developed. The procedure can be used to provide PCC shoulders either for rehabilitation of existing pavement, or for new pavement construction. All major factors that are known to affect the behavior of PCC shoulders are considered in the mechanistic design approach including: encroaching moving trucks, parked trucks, foundation support, longitudinal joint load transfer, shoulder slab thickness and tapering, width of shoulder and traffic lane slab. The finite element structural analysis technique was used along with a concrete fatigue damage model to sum damage for both moving encroaching trucks and for parked trucks. A relationship was established between the accumulated fatigue damage and slab cracking. Thus, the shoulder can be designed for an allowable amount of cracking which can vary depending on the performance level desired. Procedures for tieing the PCC shoulder to the mainline PCC slab are recommended to provide adequate load transfer and to avoid joint spalling. Long-term low maintenance performance of the PCC shoulder, along with significant improvement in performance of the traffic lane, can be obtained both for new construction and rehabilitation purposes if the shoulder is designed properly