THE PUMPING OF CONCRETE PAVEMENTS IN NEW JERSEY, CORRECTIVE MEASURES EMPLOYED, AND FUTURE DESIGNS

A STUDY OF PAVEMENTS LAID ON SUBBASES COMPOSED OF GRANULAR MATERIALS LED TO THE CONCLUSIONS THAT THEIR USE MINIMIZED PUMPING, REDUCED DAMAGE DUE TO FROST ACTION AND INCREASED LOAD BARING CAPACITY. ALL PAVEMENTS BUILT SINCE 1939 ARE SUPPORTED ON A LAYER OF BANK-RUN SAND, GRAVEL, OR CINDERS 8 INCHES IN THICKNESS. TO DATE, WHERE GRANULAR MATERIALS HAVE BEEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHANNEL-DOWEL JOINTS, PAVEMENTS HAVE REMAINED TRUE TO GRADE, CRACKS ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO INDICATIONS OF PUMPING, EVEN UNDER HEAVY TRUCK TRAFFIC. A STUDY OF WOOD FOR USE IN EXPANSION JOINTS SHOWS THAT, FOR MOST VARIETIES, LOADS IN EXCESS OF 500 AND LESS THAN 1000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH WILL BE REQUIRED TO CAUSE COMPRESSION OF THE FIBERS. IF LOADING IS CONTINUED, A POINT IS REACHED WHERE NO FURTHER COMPRESSION IS OBTAINED. SOME VARIETIES MAY BE COMPRESSED TO AS MUCH AS 50 PERCENT OF THE ORIGINAL THICKNESS. IF DRY WOOD IS COMPRESSED TO 50 PERCENT OF ITS THICKNESS, IT WILL RECOVER TO ABOUT 65 PERCENT AND REMAIN AT THAT THICKNESS AS LONG AS IT REMAINS DRY. SOAKING IN WATER WILL CAUSE THE WOOD TO SWELL TO 94 PERCENT, AND FOR SOME VARIETIES MORE THAN 100 PERCENT, OF ITS ORIGINAL THICKNESS. REPEATED COMPRESSION, DRYING AND SOAKING WILL RESULT IN A PERMANENT REDUCTION IN THICKNESS. THESE TESTS INDICATE THAT WOOD AS AN EXPANSION JOINT FILLER WILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MERITS: (1) UNLIKE THE CONVENTIONAL BITUMINOUS FILLERS, WOOD WILL NOT EXTRUDE, REGARDLESS OF THE EXTEND OF JOINT CLOSURE OR INFILTRATION. (THIS APPLIES ONLY TO WOOD WITH THE GRAIN DIRECTION INSTALLED VERTICALLY); (2) UNLIKE OTHER FILLERS, THE WOOD IS EXPECTED TO RETAIN SUFFICIENT SWELLING CAPACITY AND RESILIENCY TO PREVENT THE DETRIMENTAL ACCUMULATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF INFILTRATED MATERIAL IN THE JOINT SPACES WHICH, IN MANY LOCATIONS, HAS CAUSED RUPTURING OF THE CONCRETE. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbresearchrpts/1945/1D-005.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Res Rept 1d, PP 84-108, 1 FIG, 3 TAB. 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.
• Authors:
  • Breeman, W V
• Publication Date: 1945

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 25p
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Research Reports
  • Issue Number: 1d
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete pavements; Dowels (Fasteners); Expansion joints; Faulting; Granular materials; Joint fillers; Pumping (Pavements); Subbase (Pavements); Wood
• Uncontrolled Terms: Subbase
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218896
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 29 1972 12:00AM