01552166

Component

Enhancements to the jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) transverse fatigue cracking model and the transverse joint faulting model in the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software based on corrected concrete coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values are presented. The original cracking and faulting models were nationally calibrated in 2004 and again in 2007 under National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) projects 1-37A and 1-40D. Both of these models include the CTE as an input to various mechanistic-empirical models that affect thermal curling and joint opening/closing. The discovery of a systematic error in the CTE test procedure in 2009 by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) [CTE values in the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database were significantly higher than the correct values] required a recalibration of the fatigue cracking and faulting models. The correct CTE values were established for all LTPP sections in the database and some additional sections were also added. The cracking and faulting models were then recalibrated in 2011 with correct CTE values and revised national calibration coefficients obtained. Statistical tests for bias show that the cracking and faulting predictions are unbiased and match the field measurements well. Sensitivity analyses show that the significant reduction in the concrete CTE reduces its influence on design but CTE is still very significant. Since the 2007 and 2011 models were calibrated against the same field cracking and faulting data, the final models result in similar JPCP thickness designs before and after the CTE corrections with the appropriate corresponding set of model calibration coefficients. Further implementation studies in several States showed that the new calibration coefficients were unbiased and are used without making changes.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFD50 Rigid Pavement Design.

01550057

15-5222

English

18p

2015

Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Calibration; Concrete pavements; Databases; Mechanistic-empirical pavement design; Transverse cracking

Long-Term Pavement Performance Program; Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide

Coefficient of thermal expansion; Joint faulting; Jointed plain concrete pavements; Recalibration

Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2015 Paper #15-5222

PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 30 2014 1:45PM