CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE PAVEMENTS IN WEST GERMANY

In West Germany, the concrete pavements of the "autobahns" are generally constructed by the slip form method, usually on top of a hydraulic- or bituminous-bound base. The thickness of these pavements has recently been increased from 22 cm (9 in.) to 24-26 cm (9.5-10 in.). To control the formation of cracks and to relieve the stresses caused by restraint of volume changes, these pavements are divided by joints into slabs 5 m (16.5 ft) long and 4.25 m (14 ft) wide. The slabs are not reinforced, and ordinary portland cement is used. The transverse joints are doweled, and the longitudinal joints are anchored. Both dowels and anchors are vibrated into the compacted concrete. The aggregates used within the concrete surface must have a high frost resistance, and at least half of the coarse aggregate has to be crushed. To withstand the effects of frost and deicing agents, the concrete must also contain entrained air. When damaged slabs are reconstructed, a high-early strength concrete containing superplasticizer is used. In summer, the reconstructed segments can be reopened to traffic in as little as 12-14 hr. When old concrete pavements are renewed, either the old concrete is broken and new pavement laid on it, or the old concrete is crushed by a breaker and used as an aggregate for the cement-bound base.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1988/1182/1182-003.pdf
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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. This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1182, Concrete Pavements.
• Authors:
  • Springenschmid, Rupert
  • Reimer, Bernd
  • Fleischer, Walter
• Conference:
  • Harold Halm International Symposium on Concrete Pavement Construction, 1988, Washington, DC, USA
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: Photos; References;
• Pagination: p. 12-17
• Monograph Title: Concrete Pavements. Harold Halm International Symposium on Concrete Pavement Construction and PIARC 18th World Road Congress--Construction and Maintenance of Rigid Pavements
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1182
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Air entrained concrete; Concrete pavements; Dowels (Fasteners); Driver rehabilitation; Frost susceptibility; Longitudinal joints; Pavements; Paving; Slip form paving; Superplasticizers; Thickness; Transverse joints
• Uncontrolled Terms: Anchors; Frost resistance; Pavement thickness; Rehabilitation
• Geographic Terms: Germany
• Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I52: Construction of Pavements and Surfacings;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00486037
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309047226
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 31 1989 12:00AM