<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>TRB Publications Index</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/</link><atom:link href="http://pubsindex.trb.org/common/TRIS Suite/feeds/rss.aspx?tc=NN%3APmrcppbmms" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><description></description><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright © 2015. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright><docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs><managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor><webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster><image><title>TRB Publications Index</title><url>http://pubsindex.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.png</url><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/</link></image><item><title>Performance, Economic, and Environmental Assessment of Steel Slag Aggregate in Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2701113</link><description><![CDATA[Utilization of steel slag aggregate (SSA) in roller compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) provides a promising approach to mitigate natural aggregate depletion and reduce the environmental footprint of pavement construction. This study systematically evaluates RCCP mixtures with SSA replacement levels from 0% to 100%, considering fresh state behavior, mechanical, durability and functional properties, economic and life cycle assessments (LCAs). The moisture density test revealed that an increase in SSA contents (0%–100%) increased the optimum moisture content (13%–35%) and improved the dry density by 1.2%–5.2%. Low and moderate inclusions of SSA (25%–50%) enhanced compressive and flexural strength (16%–21%) because of denser packing and better aggregate–mortar bonding. However, higher replacement levels (≥ 75%) of SSA reduced the mechanical performance because of excessive angularity and poor packing. Durability and functional assessments indicated that an increase in SSA content improved abrasion and skid resistance and increased water absorption because of its vesicular porous structure. Economic analysis showed that moderate SSA content (50%) reduced slab thickness and construction costs by up to 16%, while higher SSA content increased initial construction costs because of thicker slabs. The LCA revealed a decrease in 11% carbon dioxide emissions and 7% energy consumption at moderate SSA inclusion. To integrate the engineering, economic, and environmental performance outcomes, a hybrid entropy–analytic hierarchy process method was used to assign weights, and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution was employed for ranking. The results indicate moderate SSA (50%) inclusion as the most balanced and sustainable mixture in RCCP.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2026 08:51:42 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2701113</guid></item><item><title>Use of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement and Fibers in Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements: A Green Approach in Pavement</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2639377</link><description><![CDATA[The use of traditional cement in various fields, including concrete pavements, has become an environmental threat because of the widespread emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. The use of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) in various fields has emerged in recent years as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative. In this study, to reduce the consumption of ordinary portland cement (OPC) in roller-compacted concrete pavements (RCCPs), LC3 has been used as a partial replacement for OPC. Also, because of the presence of various cracks in concrete pavements, macro-synthetic fibers have been used to improve the mechanical properties and crack resistance behavior of RCCP. LC3 has been substituted for OPC in three ratios of 15%, 30%, and 45% and macro-synthetic fibers were also added to the mixtures at 0.25% and 0.5% by volume, and the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of the specimens were evaluated at different ages. In addition, SimaPro software has been used to compare the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in different roller-compacted concrete designs. The research results indicate that the use of LC3 at early ages may lead to a slight reduction in its mechanical properties, but as the samples age and with the completion of LC3’s pozzolanic activities, this reduction is compensated, resulting in better outcomes than the control sample. These findings indicate that the simultaneous use of LC3 and macro-synthetic fibers can be recognized as a suitable solution for RCCP with good mechanical properties and environmental compatibility.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:43:43 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2639377</guid></item><item><title>Laboratory Investigation of Internal Curing Potential in Stiff Mortar Mixtures Using Expanded Clay Aggregates</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2569598</link><description><![CDATA[The low water-to-cement (w/c) ratios of stiff paving mixtures such as roller-compacted concrete (RCC) pavements often pose significant challenges in moisture retention and proper curing which can lead to concrete shrinkage cracking. Traditional curing methods (e.g., external water curing) often prove insufficient as a result of RCC’s denser matrix and low permeability. As RCC pavement is a stiff and dry mixture, inadequate curing and adverse weather conditions can further lead to early structural and functional issues. The use of internal curing (IC) technology can be a solution to mitigate early cracking, particularly in stiff mixtures such as RCCs. This study investigates the effects of lightweight expanded clay aggregates (ECA) as an internal curing agent in mortar mixtures for RCC paving applications. Natural fine aggregates were partially replaced by pre-soaked ECAs at varying proportions that is, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%; their influence on stiff mortar’s water absorption and desorption capacities, degree of hydration (DOH), mechanical strength, and microstructural characteristics were investigated. The water absorption, desorption (release) potential, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) test results confirmed the suitability of ECA aggregate as an IC agent. The DOH improved by 24% to 38% and 2.8% to 13% for water and sealed curing, respectively, at varying ages. Subsequently, the compressive strength and flexural strength were found to have improved for both water curing and sealed curing. Microstructural analysis revealed a decrease in porosity while an increase in the calcium-silicate-hydrates (CSH) gels, particularly near the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) was observed. This study demonstrates that ECA can be an effective internal curing agent to mitigate water retention problems in RCC pavements, contributing to its enhanced early-age strength characteristics.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 13:55:57 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2569598</guid></item><item><title>Experimental Research on the Fracture Behavior of Internally Cured Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement by Superabsorbent Polymer</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2548005</link><description><![CDATA[In highway construction projects, the supply of water for external curing often encounters challenges that can lead to reduced concrete quality. This study investigates the effects of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) as internal curing agents on the workability, mechanical properties, and fracture characteristics of roller compacted concrete pavements (RCCPs) under various curing regimes and SAP contents. The research examines the influence of the crack-to-depth ratio and loading rate on fracture toughness (KIc) and fracture energy (Gf). The incorporation of SAP enhanced workability by decreasing the modified Vebe time as a result of increased water content in the cement. Compressive strength tests indicated that higher SAP content generally reduced strength at 28?days; however, specimens with 0.2% SAP and 3 days of external curing exhibited comparable strength to the reference sample, with only a 6.7% reduction. Splitting tensile strength tests showed a downward trend with increased SAP content. Moreover, the indirect tensile strength of all samples ranged from 2 to 4?MPa, which is typically suitable for RCCP applications. KIc and Gf decreased with an increasing crack-to-depth ratio but improved with higher loading rates. The study concludes that internal curing with 0.2% SAP and 3 days of external curing can enhance fracture resistance while maintaining acceptable compressive and tensile strengths, suggesting a potential reduction in water consumption.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:54:46 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2548005</guid></item><item><title>Design of Two-Layer Roller Compacted Concrete with Joints by KENSLAB</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2447288</link><description><![CDATA[Roller compacted concrete (RCC) is a type of rigid pavement that is designed in a similar way to conventional concrete pavements reflecting its mode of failure. The thickness design of RCC pavements is based on keeping the flexural stresses and fatigue damage in the pavement caused by wheel loads within allowable limits. As in all jointed concrete pavements, there is a greater effect from loads placed along edges and less at interior locations in the pavement. Joints in RCC pavement are clearly critical areas and form weak points. RCC is typically constructed with saw-cut joints to prevent random cracking, improve the appearance of the pavement surface, and maintain the highest possible load transfer across the joints. This paper presents an approach to designing the thickness of a two-layer RCC with induced cracks (i.e., joints) based on load transfer stiffness and fatigue damage, using the KENSLAB program to obtain pavement life, predict joint deterioration, and pavement damage.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 04 Nov 2024 10:55:13 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2447288</guid></item><item><title>Role of Additives in Compacted Concrete Pavements</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2242408</link><description><![CDATA[Roller compacted concrete (RCC) is an emerging pavement technology especially for secondary roads and is additionally valued for its lower installation costs, faster opening to traffic, high load-carrying capacity, and durability. One major drawback to use of RCC in secondary roads is the balance of smoothness and target surface durability over time. To achieve more consistent RCC mixes, the compaction (flow) performance and rheology of about 40 freshly prepared zero-slump graded aggregate concrete pastes were explored with selected types and levels of additives and water saturation levels. Viscosity modifiers were found to be critical to achieve the highest yield strength formulations. The high yield strength RCC formulations identified from this study followed the key guidance, namely graded aggregate, viscosity, and lubricity, of the Superpave program for fresh asphalt concrete.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:43:18 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2242408</guid></item><item><title>Tailoring of Compaction Parameters of the Vibratory Table and Vibratory Hammer for Roller Compacted Concrete Pavements to Resemble Field Properties</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2224983</link><description><![CDATA[Previous studies have indicated that roller compacted concrete pavement may demonstrate significant variations in field behavior compared to laboratory specimens. This discrepancy can be attributed to the dissimilarities in compaction efforts between laboratory and field conditions, wherein the laboratory efforts fail to emulate the field compaction. Thus, in the present study, efforts have been made to optimize the compaction parameters, especially the number of layers of widely employed compaction methods, viz, the vibratory hammer (VH) and vibratory table (VT). A field slab was constructed using a duplex roller to provide a target value for the optimization process. Parameters such as packing density, fresh density, mechanical properties, viz, compressive, split tensile, and flexural strength, and porosity were considered for the tailoring process. Fresh density results showed that VT and VH-compacted specimens with ASTM parameters were loosely (-1.1%) and densely compacted (+5%), respectively, compared with field specimens (FSs). Therefore, to determine the optimal compaction parameters, the number of layers increased to five in the VT method and decreased to one in the VH method. Among different compaction layers, only the specimen fabricated with four layers and one layer in the VT and VH methods, respectively, could closely resemble the fresh, mechanical, and porosity of FSs. In addition, a new compaction procedure for fabricating prismatic specimens is developed for the VH and VT methods based on the compaction energy and packing density approaches.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 Aug 2023 19:11:39 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2224983</guid></item><item><title>Comparative Analysis of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement and Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2224979</link><description><![CDATA[Jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) is the widely preferred conventional concrete pavement for highways; however, the higher initial construction cost and extended time for traffic opening limit its applicability. Recent advancements like roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) could address the above concerns of JPCP. Yet, there is a lack of knowledge and comparative studies on the performance assessment, sustainability, and economic analysis of RCCP and JPCP. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the engineering properties (density, compressive and flexural strength, and fluid flow properties), cost analysis (materials and initial construction cost), and sustainability (carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption) of both pavements. The fresh density and mechanical properties of RCCP were 8%–9% and 13%–35% higher than JPCP; thus, 44%–89% and 24%–57% reductions in water absorption and porosity were observed in the considered RCCP mixes against JPCP. The higher strength properties of RCCP significantly reduced the pavement thickness by 10%–25%, thereby lowering the materials and initial construction costs by 52%–78%. Further, sustainability assessment through the cradle-to-gate (from raw material extraction to transportation phase) and gate-to-gate (only concrete production in a ready-mix plant) approaches revealed that employment of RCCP could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions (9%–30%) and energy consumption (10%–32%) compared with JPCP mixes. The findings show that RCCP can be considered sustainable, economical, and higher-performance pavement than JPCP.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 Aug 2023 19:11:39 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2224979</guid></item><item><title>Investigation of In Situ Thermal Properties and Early-Age Pavement Behavior in the Design and Performance Evaluation of Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement in Louisiana, U.S</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2156277</link><description><![CDATA[The proven durability and high load-carrying capacity of roller compacted concrete pavement (RCCP), combined with its simple and cost-effective construction method and high placement speed, has created a great deal of interest from many states and local transportation agencies in the U.S. Roller compacted concrete (RCC) mixture uses less cement content and less water compared with conventional concrete mixtures, which reduces the total shrinkage strain and RCC set temperature during the hardening stage, resulting in a reduction of early-age deformation and stress developments in the RCCP. Currently, research on the early-age behavior and other thermal properties of RCCP has not been well documented. Therefore, investigations of early-age behavior and thermal properties such as coefficient of thermal expansion, ultimate shrinkage, and built-in curling are needed to understand the true behaviors of RCCP under real climatic conditions. On the other hand, the currently available RCC thickness design procedures, for example, Street-Pave and Pavement Designer, are in general short of flexibility in consideration of the combined effect of wheel and environmental loading on RCCP performance. The primary objective of this work is to investigate the early-age behavior of RCCP and to evaluate the effect of thermal properties on the design and performance of RCCP constructed in Louisiana.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 24 Apr 2023 17:39:17 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2156277</guid></item><item><title>Enhancing the Performance of Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement by Synergetic Improvement of Packing Density, Lubrication, and Moisture State of Recycled Concrete Aggregate</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2117676</link><description><![CDATA[Roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) is considered superior to other pavement types with reference to cost, ease of construction, and performance. However, the aggregate demand is significantly higher in RCCP than in the conventional concrete pavement. It is predicted that natural minable limestone sources would be exhausted in India in the next 30 to 40 years. One way to reduce the natural aggregates (NA) requirements in RCCP is through the integration of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). However, the physical property of RCA is significantly inferior to that of NA owing to the presence of adhered mortar (AM), which increases the water demand by 2.3 to 4.6 times and affects the compactness and hardened-state behavior of RCCP. This study has tried to enhance the compactness and improve the performance of RCCP containing RCA (coarse, fine, and total RCAs) through different synergetic approaches. This, in turn, enhances the interlocking capacity using the particle packing approach, followed by mitigating the negative effects of AM by altering the moisture states, then improving the compactability and lubricating the matrix with superplasticizers. The results depict that altering the moisture states alone could adversely affect the RCCP performance because of the moisture transfer mechanism from the hydraulic gradient. Moreover, the inclusion of superplasticizers in different moisture states could manifest better aggregate rearrangement and compactability. Further, it could improve the tensile behavior of the RCCP compared with the concrete containing NA. These findings favor the complete replacement of NA by RCA for low-volume rural road construction.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:48:46 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2117676</guid></item><item><title>Development of a Fatigue Damage Model for Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement Based on In Situ Saw-Cut Beams and Accelerated Pavement Performance</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1949036</link><description><![CDATA[As a durable, economical, and low-maintenance concrete material, roller compacted concrete (RCC) is steadily becoming the preferred choice for many pavement applications. However, the fatigue models in current pavement thickness design procedures have generally been found to over-predict the RCC pavement fatigue damage under in situ heavy truck loading. In this study, a comprehensive beam fatigue test experiment was performed using field saw-cut RCC slab samples from two full-scale accelerated pavement testing (APT) sections to investigate the fatigue behavior of in situ RCC pavements. This is the first research study to investigate the fatigue behavior of field RCC beam samples prepared and constructed with a high-density asphalt-type paver and a vibratory roller. The results indicate that a well-compacted RCC pavement can achieve higher flexural strength and exhibit better fatigue life than conventional concrete pavement. Based on the beam fatigue test results and in situ fatigue performance of APT test sections, an RCC fatigue-life model was developed, providing a more accurate solution for estimating the allowable number of load repetitions of RCC pavements subjected to vehicular fatigue loading. This model could be used in RCC thickness design procedures to determine the optimum RCC design thickness and long-term fatigue performance of RCC pavements for roadway application.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 09 May 2022 11:59:39 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1949036</guid></item><item><title>Modelling Compactibility of RCC Specimens Using the Asphalt Gyratory Compactor</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1759165</link><description><![CDATA[Density of fresh Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) pavement dictates its durability and mechanical characteristics. Achieving the required density depends on many factors but mainly on the thickness of the lift and the RCC mix constituents. To evaluate the compactibility of fresh RCC mixes prior to placement, current practices recommend using the no-slump consistency tests such as the Vebe test. However, these tests lack sensitivity to the dryness of RCC mixes as well as to the placement thickness. This paper proposes an approach to evaluate the compactibility of RCC specimens by estimating the energy required to achieve the specified density over the thickness of different mixes. In order to study the energy, the Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) as a consistent and accurate compaction tool was incorporated. The SGC provides displacement records with gyration number which facilitate i) density calculations through volume change and, ii) model the compactibility of RCC mixes using vibrational mechanics. A damping coefficient and a time dependent restoring force were estimated and used to calculate the mechanical energy at each gyration and the cumulative energy after 25 gyrations. The damping coefficient which is a material property was further used to determine the cumulative energy of different RCC thicknesses. This approach investigated the effect of the specified lower and upper aggregate gradation and the use of additives on compactibility and density of RCC mixes.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:48:11 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1759165</guid></item><item><title>Laboratory Investigation on the Fresh, Mechanical, and Durability Properties of Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Aggregates</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1601597</link><description><![CDATA[The present study evaluates the potential and suitability of different fractions of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) for roller compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) mixes. Natural coarse and fine aggregates were replaced, partially and in combination, by coarse RAP, fine RAP, and combined RAP for preparation of RCCP mixes. The considered properties to determine the optimum RAP fraction and its proportion for RCCP were fresh density and water demand, compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, porosity, water absorption, abrasion resistance, and performance in aggressive environments of chloride- and sulfate-rich ions. It was observed that inclusions of all the fractions of RAP considered could reduce the strength related properties of RCCP mixes significantly at all curing ages. However, fine RAP mixes were found to exhibit better strength properties than coarse RAP and combined RAP mixes. It was also observed that none of the RAP mixes could achieve the recommended compressive strength criterion of 27.6 MPa, however, they exhibited enough flexural strength to replace a fraction of conventional aggregates, individually or in combination, for construction using RCCP. In fact, 50% coarse and 50% fine RAP mixes had higher flexural strength than the target laboratory mean strength of 4.3 MPa. Similarly, these mixes were found to have sufficient abrasion resistance and could be included in RCCP (surface course) to be constructed in areas having high concentrations of chloride and sulfate ions. Additionally, the results also indicated that higher proportions of fine RAP may be suggested for RCCP mixes to be laid in sulfatic environments.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2019 11:00:53 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1601597</guid></item><item><title>Evaluating Mechanical Properties and Fatigue in Two-Layer Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1494908</link><description><![CDATA[Roller compacted concrete (RCC) is a mass concrete with zero slump consisting of well-graded aggregate, cement and water. RCC has many advantages over other pavement types, particularly cost and speed of construction. Recently, RCC has undergo many developments mostly directed towards improving quality, including smoothness and durability. RCC now has the potential to combine the performance of concrete with the low cost of asphalt installation. In order to expand the application of RCC for pavements and increase the skid resistance to use it in normal roads and highways, a two-layer system of RCC with different aggregate types and size was utilized in this research and produced by a laboratory roller compactor that can simulate the real situation in the field. This paper evaluates the strength and stiffness and fatigue resistance of two layer RCC for pavements. It can be seen from the results of mechanical properties of RCC that the materials have good strength and fatigue properties for each layer separately and also together in a two-layer system. Furthermore, the fatigue damage for each layer and two layers can show good fatigue performance, with the two-layer RCC potentially withstanding almost unlimited load repetition. However, this successful fatigue response depends heavily on the quality of the interlayer bond.  In conclusion, the mechanical properties and fatigue of two-layer RCC for pavement can show an acceptable strength and significant resistance to fatigue if constructed appropriately, but this is at risk if the construction process is delays the placing of the upper layer by more than a few hours.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jan 2018 12:22:56 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1494908</guid></item><item><title>Virginia’s Experience in Developing a Specification for Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1439085</link><description><![CDATA[Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) is a stiff hydraulic cement concrete mixture that, unlike conventional concrete, is compacted with a roller rather than by mechanical internal and external vibration. It is a mixture of aggregate, cementitious materials, and water and exhibits zero slump. RCC has the same basic ingredients as conventional concrete and has similar hardened concrete properties. For pavements, RCC is typically placed with asphalt paving equipment in 6 to 8-inch thicknesses. RCC is desirable because of its low-cost, rapid construction, satisfactory early and ultimate strengths, and durable performance. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has been investigating RCC for inclusion as an option in its pavement program. This investigation included a literature survey and laboratory study that led to the development of a special provision for the use of RCC in pavements. Subsequently, the special provision was implemented in two field projects. The initial performance of both field projects was satisfactory. Thus, the special provision for use of RCC developed in this study was workable and it is planned to be incorporated as a standard provision in VDOT’s "Road and Bridge Specifications" with minor modifications. This paper summarizes the research that led to the development of VDOT’s RCC specification.]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 12 Feb 2017 20:02:23 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1439085</guid></item></channel></rss>