Influence of concrete type on rigid pavement behavior under static loads

Abstract

It is thought that rigid pavements are more expensive than flexible pavements. However, when taking into account the element of durability, it was found that rigid pavements are less expensive than flexible pavements and have a service life up to 20 years. The flexible pavements are more suitable for the areas with weak subsoil and poor drainage, but it has a negative impact on the environment. This research presents an experimental and numerical study to explore the behavior of rigid pavement made of different types of concrete under the influence of static loads. The recent experimental study consists of six slabs with dimensions of 600 × 600 × 60 mm made of different types of concrete. Such types are normal-strength concrete (NSC), high-strength concrete (HSC) and strain hardening cementitious composites (SHCC). Based on the findings of this study, it is evident that the slab constructed with SHCC exhibits a 76.6% greater bearing capacity compared to the NSC slab. Regarding cost-effectiveness, the HSC slab was identified as the most economically advantageous option. A point to be noted is that the numerical model using the Abaqus program succeeded in modeling the experimental tested slabs.