Abstract
Dowels are located in transverse joints of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP) and they are used to provide load transfer between individual slabs, reduce faulting and improve performance. Dowels and the concrete itself are under the highest stress in the vicinity of joints; thus, in terms of pavement design, the joints are the weakest points of the whole structure. This study dealt with the drawbacks of JPCP with dowels. The evaluation was based on direct measurements on real airport and motorway pavements and highlights insufficient efficiency of load transfer and its possible causes. The authors present a successful outcome with validation by using the finite element method where high tensile stress values of the surrounding concrete were found.
Highlights
Jointed plain concrete pavement is typically composed of a Portland Cement Concrete (PCC)surface course constructed on top of either an underlying base course or in exceptional cases on the subgrade
This paper presents main findings of falling weight deflectometers (FWD) measurements on airport and road concrete pavements with used dowels in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
The results of the measurements show the low values of load transfer efficiency at transverse joints
Summary
Jointed plain concrete pavement is typically composed of a Portland Cement Concrete (PCC)surface course constructed on top of either an underlying base course or in exceptional cases on the subgrade. Jointed plain concrete pavement is typically composed of a Portland Cement Concrete (PCC). Joints of concrete pavement are stressed by the effects of overruns of heavy vehicles and temperature and moisture gradient of concrete slabs. The dowels in transverse joints must allow horizontal movement of slabs in the contracting time after the pavement is paved and during its further use. They reduce vertical movements on slab edges and occurrence of vertical unevenness along the pavement lifecycle. The monitored parameter is the transfer of load on joints expressed by the value of LTE (Load transfer efficiency). The loaded and adjacent unloaded slabs deflect when a wheel load is applied at a joint edge
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