RAPID ROAD REPAIRS : PRECAST CONCRETE PANELS MINIMIZE TRAFFIC DISRUPTION

This article describes how precast concrete slabs can be an effective way to conduct roadway repairs where time is of the essence. Precast concrete is also advantageous because it is durable, high-quality concrete that has a high cement content cured under controlled conditions. In addition, precast concrete has extra steel that provides the strength necessary for transporting and suspending the panels. Three different systems for installing precast concrete highway slabs are being currently used by state Departments of Transportation (DOT) and tollway authorities. The first system, which is the patented Super-Slab system, uses standard dowel bars for load transfer onto engineered grades. The article describes applications of Super-Slab in New York and New Jersey. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is conducting a heavy vehicle simulator (HVS) test on precast highway panels for potential use in a rehabilitation project on Interstate 15 in San Bernardino, California. The article next describes the second system, which involves precast slabs undersealed with polyurethane foam, and its use in highway rehabilitation projects in Colorado. The foam is used to anchor and level the precast panels during placement. The third method is a post-tensioned system that consists of three different panel types: joint, central stressing, and base panels. The panels are positioned and then post-tensioned in a longitudinal direction. The edges have shear keys that align during installation and interlock the panels, thus preventing vertical movement between joints. The article describes how this process was used in a Caltrans project in which 31 panels were placed in two nights on one of the most heavily-trafficked areas in the U.S.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1606878
• Authors:
  • Carder, C
• Publication Date: 2005-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 38-40
• Serial:
  • Public Works
  • Volume: 136
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Hanley Wood
  • ISSN: 0033-3840
  • Serial URL: http://www.pwmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Pavement maintenance; Posttensioning; Precast concrete pavements
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01001801
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 7 2005 12:00AM