Numerical simulation of horizontal cracking in continuously reinforced concrete pavements

The objective of this study is to investigate the development of horizontal cracking along the longitudinal steel under the location of transverse crack inducers in continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). For this purpose, 2D finite element (FE) model of CRCP is developed by using FE tool Diana to capture the early-age cracking in CRCP under environmental loading. The results obtained from FE model reveal that horizontal (longitudinal) cracking takes place at the level of longitudinal steel