Evaluation of Long-Life Concrete Pavement Practices for Use in Florida

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) Version 1.1 model was used to analyze the performance of three typical concrete pavement designs in Florida to evaluate their suitability for use as long-life concrete pavements and the effects of various design parameters on their performance. Concrete slab thickness, concrete flexural strength, and the aggregate used in the concrete were found to be the three most significant factors affecting the predicted performance of the pavement evaluated. The type of base material and the stiffness of the base material appear to have no significant effect on the predicted performance. The Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTTP) database was used to evaluate the effects of various factors on the performance of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP). Critical stress analysis was also performed on the selected LTPP JPCP selections to determine the maximum stress in the concrete slab under a critical load and temperature condition. The computed critical stress-to-strength ratio was found to be the most significant parameter which can be related to the performance of the LTPP pavements. A lower stress-to-strength ratio is related to better observed pavement performance. Results from the critical stress analysis show that the most significant factors affecting the stress-to-strength ratios are the concrete slab thickness and the concrete elastic modulus, modulus of rupture, and coefficient of thermal expansion. Variations in the base and subbase properties were found to have minimal effects on the stress-to-strength ratios for concrete slab thickness of 11 in. or higher. From the results of this study, the three typical Florida concrete pavement designs are shown to be suitable for use as long-life pavements if the slab thickness was adequate and the concrete had low elastic modulus, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and adequate flexural strength. A concrete slab thickness of 13 or 14 in. is recommended. In addition to meeting the present Florida Department of Transportation specification requirements for these three designs, the concrete mixture must be designed and evaluated according to the procedure recommended in the project report.

• Record URL:
  https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/research/reports/fdot-bdk75-977-48-rpt.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  https://fdotwww.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/research/reports/fdot-bdk75-977-48-sum.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25406
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25405
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Florida, Gainesville

  Department of Civil and Costal Engineering
  365 Weil Hall, P.O. Box 116580
  Gainesville, FL  United States  32611

  Florida Department of Transportation

  605 Suwannee Street
  Tallahassee, FL  United States  32399-0450

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Tia, Mang
  • Verdugo, David
  • Kwon, Ohhoon
• Publication Date: 2012-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 241p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Concrete pavements; Flexural strength; Pavement design; Pavement performance; Perpetual pavements; Service life; Thickness
• Identifier Terms: Long-Term Pavement Performance Program; Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01458063
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: U.F. Project no. 00093785
• Contract Numbers: FDOT Project no. BDK75 977-48
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 31 2012 5:55PM