Effect of Early-Age Concrete Elastic Properties on Fatigue Damage in PCC Pavements Containing Fibers

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is revising current specifications for opening new PCC (Portland cement concrete) pavements to traffic. These revisions will help keep closure times at a minimum by specifying the required concrete strength for resisting early-age fatigue damage. An extensive experimental program was conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago to determine the elastic properties of IDOT pavement (PV) and patch (PP1, PP2) mixes at early concrete age. The experimental program included testing concrete specimens as early as 12 hr with two curing regimes (73°F and 50°F). The effect of fiber inclusion was investigated by considering two types of IDOT-certified synthetic macro-fibers (W.R. Grace Strux 90/40 and BASF MasterFiber MAC Matrix) with quantities of 0, 4, 6, and 8 lb/yd³. The experimental program initiated with determining mechanical properties of early-age pavement and patch concrete mixes for compressive strength, flexural strength, flexural toughness, static modulus of elasticity, and linear drying shrinkage. The fracture behavior, flexural fatigue performance, and durability against freezing and thawing were investigated at early concrete age. The study also evaluated the effectiveness of nondestructive measures such as maturity and dynamic modulus of elasticity tests for predicting the strength gain for IDOT pavements mixes. Experimental and numerical data were implemented into a practical solution for opening PCC pavements to traffic loads at an early age. The proposed step-by-step procedure evaluates the fatigue life of rigid pavements for a predefined thickness, soil condition, and concrete age. Designs aids were accordingly developed for accurately estimating concrete flexural strength, pavement tensile stress, and corresponding fatigue life through practical equations, charts, and nomographs. With fiber inclusion yielding an improved structural performance, the experimental testing program was further extended by evaluating the fatigue behavior of jointed, plain-concrete pavement (JPCP) specimens at early concrete age. For this experimental task, the loading sequence, fiber content, pavement thickness, and dowel presence were investigated for a critical loading case at contraction joints. Experimental results were satisfactory for plain and fiber-reinforced jointed-slab specimens subjected to early-age cyclic fatigue loading.

Record URL:
Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01979191
Corporate Authors:
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Illinois Center for Transportation
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Urbana, IL United States 61801

Illinois Department of Transportation

Bureau of Research
Springfield, IL United States

Federal Highway Administration

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590
Authors:
- Issa, Mohsen A
Publication Date: 2017-12

Language

English

Media Info

Media Type: Digital/other
Edition: Final Report
Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
Pagination: 306p
Serial:
- Civil Engineering Studies, Illinois Center for Transportation Series
- Issue Number: 17-025
- Publisher: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- ISSN: 0197-9191

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Compressive strength; Concrete pavements; Elasticity (Mechanics); Flexural strength; Fracture properties; Freeze thaw durability; Modulus of elasticity; Shrinkage; Synthetic fibers; Toughness
Uncontrolled Terms: Early age (Concrete); Fatigue life; Jointed plain concrete pavements; Opening to traffic
Geographic Terms: Illinois
Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01654275
Record Type: Publication
Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-ICT-17-019, UILU-ENG-2017-2025
Contract Numbers: R27-154
Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
Created Date: Dec 19 2017 12:23PM