A MECHANISTIC MODEL FOR THERMALLY INDUCED REFLECTION CRACKING OF PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT WITH REINFORCED ASPHALT CONCRETE OVERLAY

A new model is presented to analyze the phenomenon of thermaly induced reflection cracking of asphalt concrete overlays over portland cement concrete pavements. The model is based on fundamental material properties of creep compliance, fracture toughness, and indirect tensile strength and does not depend on any empirical distress functions. When applied to fabric-reinforced overlays, however, a fabric effectiveness factor is required. This factor is obtained from single laboratory thermal simulation tests on beams and is defined as the ratio of failure times of reinforced and unreinforced (control) beams. The developed model has been validated by application to laboratory specimens of small-scale and large-scale beams and to field pavements. The model predicted the formation of thermally induced reflection cracks to within a few months of their actual occurrence on four out of five field projects. The models also predicted that the fifth project would not experience reflection cracking for a considerable time (75 years). After two winters and almost two years in service, not a single reflection crack has appeared in this project. The reflection cracking analysis model has been computer coded as RECK. Only the RECK program is required for the analysis of laboratory beams, but application to field pavements requires that another computer program (EFRON) be used first to develop some inputs required by RECK. RECK is considered a significant advance in the analysis of the reflection cracking phenomenon because the dependence on empirically developed distress functions has been eliminated, and treatment of the asphaltic concrete as a viscoelastic material is considered.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Pavement Rehabilitation. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

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• Authors:
  • Majidzadeh, K
  • ABDULSHAFI, A
  • Ilves, G J
  • McLaughlin, Aston
• Publication Date: 1987

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 83-93
• Monograph Title: PAVEMENT EVALUATION AND REHABILITATION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1117
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt concrete; Compliance; Computer programs; Concrete pavements; Creep; Forecasting; Fracture properties; Mathematical models; Pavement overlays; Reflection cracking; Tensile strength; Viscoelasticity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Indirect tensile strength
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00468579
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04470-7
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 1988 12:00AM