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UNREINFORCED CONCRETE PAVEMENTS WITH DOWELLED JOINTS

UNBEWHRTE FAHRBAHNDECKEN AUS BETON MIT VERDUBELTEN FUGEN

In the Federal Republic of Germany roads carrying a high proportion of heavy traffic are built according to the following principles: the slab thickness is 20 or 22 cm; concrete may be laid in a single course or in two courses differing in composition; normally concrete pavements are built with slabs 5 M in length without reinforcement over the slab area; transverse joints are formed as dummy joints, expansion joints are provided only at transition to bridges or other structures; transverse joints (expansion joints and dummy joints) are dowelled on traffic lanes; hard shoulder have no dowel bars; in the longitudinal joints, it is the rule to have three tie-bars per slab installed in order to prevent the joints opening as a result of the slabs moving apart. Tie-bars are provided in longitudinal joints between carriageway strips and between the carriageway and the shoulder; the concrete surfacing is always laid on a stabilised sub-base, preferably stabilised with cement (mixed-in-plant and mixed-in-situ methods are both used); to prevent frost action, frost blankets of non-stabilised material are laid on frost sensitive soils or a heat-insulating concrete base may be applied. In this case, the overall thickness of the sub-base is less than in the pavement comprising a frost blanket. These construction principles are compared with those of other countries as regards the use of dowel bars. The main advantages of dowel bars seem to be: they ensure efficient transmission of shear force over a long period of time; they reduce deflection at the slab edge and thus limit the flexural tensile stresses due to traffic loads; they prevent differential settlement of adjacent slab edges and thus result in improved riding quality. "Economy dowelling" with 18 bars instead of the normal 30 for an 8.50-wide carriageway is adequate if the concrete slab is placed on a cement-stabilised sub-base. The dowel bars are protected from corrosion with a 0.3 mm plastic jacket. Transverse cracks are subsequently dowelled, using bars provided with caps fitted on them. The slots for the bars are sealed with resin mortar. Thanks to new methods and equipment, dowel bars can now be placed in concrete laid with slip-form pavers. Concrete is also used in overlays: the existing concrete is relieved of stress with a rammer and the new surfacing is laid either directly on top or over an interposed 5 cm thick layer of concrete. (TRRL)

  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Papers presented at the International Symposium on Concrete Roads, Tara Hotel, Kensington, London, September 13-15, 1982.
  • Corporate Authors:

    Concrete Society

    Terminal House, Grosvenor Gardens
    London,   England 
  • Authors:
    • NEUSSNER, E
  • Publication Date: 1982

Language

  • German

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; Photos; References;
  • Pagination: 22 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00373142
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: Jul 30 1983 12:00AM