PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF PROCEDURES FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF LOAD TRANSFER ACROSS JOINTS AND CRACKS IN RIGID PAVEMENTS USING THE FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER. PROCEEDINGS, 4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONCRETE PAVEMENT DESIGN AND REHABILITATION, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, APRIL 18-20, 1989

Loss of load transfer across joints and cracks in rigid pavements is one of the major factors responsible for concrete pavement distress. This loss of load transfer has a significant influence on performance and thus on life cycle cost considerations of rigid pavements. It is therefore necessary to detect such defects in rigid pavements in their early stage so that the proper rehabilitation measures can be applied. For rigid pavement evaluation in order to determine the existence of such defects and the rehabilitation procedures necessary, the Texas SDHPT has recently purchased a number of Falling Weight Deflectometers (FWD) for use on the concrete pavements in the state. This study was primarily instituted to develop techniques for the analysis of FWD deflection data for the assessment of load transfer across joints and cracks of rigid pavements. This paper describes the evaluation of procedures for the assessment of load transfer at transverse joints and cracks developed in previous studies, using FWD data collected on a controlled jointed reinforced concrete pavement (JRCP) laboratory test facility and a number of test sections on in-service pavements for their implementation in the field. These procedures are also applicable to the evaluation of longitudinal joints in rigid pavements, particularly rigid shoulder joints. The results of the analysis presented indicate that the FWD can be used effectively to assess load transfer across joints and cracks in rigid pavement. In some cases, however, more sensitive deflection sensors are necessary to detect the changes in load transfer at joints and cracks of concrete pavements in the field which, although of small magnitude, may be enough to result in significant distress at these discontinuities, with a consequent reduction in performance.

• Corporate Authors:

  Purdue University

  School of Civil Engineering, 550 Stadium Mall Drive
  West Lafeyette, IN  United States  47907

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Owusu-Antwi, E B
  • Meyer, A H
  • Hudson, W R
• Publication Date: 1989-4

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 697-708
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Purdue University
  • Publisher: Purdue University

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Data analysis; Deflection; Falling weight deflectometers; Joints; Load transfer; Longitudinal joints; Mathematical analysis; Pavements; Reinforced concrete pavements; Rigid pavements; Test facilities; Test sections
• Old TRIS Terms: Joint; Pavement deflection
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00486376
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-RD-89-208, 3C1B1144
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-87-C-00140
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1989 12:00AM