Abstract
Blowup refers to concrete pavement distress resulting from compressive failure at joints or cracks when excessive concrete expansion occurs, compressive forces are generated, and the horizontal movement of the pavement is constrained. Blowup occurs because of many reasons including heatwaves caused by abnormal climatic conditions, improper installation spacing between expansion joints, pavement expansion due to an alkali-aggregate reaction, concrete pavement aging, and contraction joint failure. In the summer of 2018, the Korean peninsula experienced the worst heatwave ever recorded, and hence, the possibility of blowup increased. Consequently, the Korea Expressway Corporation established a draft policy for installing pressure relief joints (PRJs) to prevent blowup. In this draft, three installation classes were specified for installing PRJs on in-service roads, and the installation priority for each class was set such that the limited budget could be used efficiently. In addition, the draft presented specific guidelines for installing each class of PRJs and suggested PRJ cross sections that could ensure structural stability. However, the draft lacks systematic research on the causes of blowup and the development of countermeasures and does not provide an engineering basis for the suggested technological solutions to prevent blowup. Therefore, this study aimed to reexamine and complement the suitability of the existing PRJ installation standards through field studies, laboratory experiments, and analytical techniques.
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