Longevity of Diamond-Ground Concrete Pavements

Abstract

Diamond grinding restores a smooth riding surface with the desirable friction characteristics on concrete pavements. This technique was first used in 1965 on a 19-year-old section of I-10 in California to eliminate excessive faulting. Since then, diamond grinding has become a major element of concrete pavement restoration projects. Despite this long history, little valid documentation of the performance of diamond-ground pavements exists. In recognition of the critical need for such information, the Portland Cement Association, in association with the American Concrete Pavement Association and the International Grooving and Grinding Association, sponsored a study of the performance of diamond-ground pavements. The study involved conducting a comprehensive review of existing information on diamond grinding, data collection, data analysis, and documentation of the study findings. Extensive field surveys were conducted to obtain the performance data needed for the analysis. In all, 60 pavement sections in 18 states were surveyed. In addition, performance data for 133 sections were obtained from an earlier study of the performance of diamond-ground pavements. The Long-Term Pavement Performance database also was used because the SPS-6 sections (concrete pavement rehabilitation) provide opportunity for the direct, side-by-side comparison of the performance of diamond-ground pavement sections and other rehabilitation alternatives. Various analyses were conducted to document the performance of diamond-ground pavements, including an evaluation of faulting performance, longevity of diamond-ground texture, and the effects of diamond grinding on service life. Presented are a brief description of the work conducted and a summary of the findings.