Precast Concrete Pavement for Intermittent Concrete Pavement Repair Applications

Precast pavement technology is a recently improved construction method that can be used to meet the need for rapid pavement repair and construction. Precast pavement systems are fabricated or assembled off-site, transported to the project site, and installed on a prepared foundation (existing pavement or re-graded foundation). The system components require minimal field curing time to achieve strength before opening to traffic. These systems are primarily used for rapid repair, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of asphalt and portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements in high-volume-traffic roadways. The precast technology can be used for intermittent repairs or full-scale, continuous rehabilitation. In intermittent repair of PCC pavement, isolated full-depth repairs at joints and cracks or full-panel replacements are conducted using precast concrete panels. In continuous applications, full-scale, project-level rehabilitation (resurfacing) or reconstruction of asphalt and PCC pavements is performed using precast concrete panels. Recognizing the need for effective, rapid rehabilitation methods, the Federal Highway Administra-tion (FHWA), through its Concrete Pavement Technology Program (CPTP), and several US and Canadian highway agencies have initiated programs to implement use of precast concrete for pavement repair and rehabilitation. Parallel to agencies’ efforts, several organizations in the United States also initiated independent development activities to refine precast concrete pavement technologies. These technologies have certain proprietary features and require licensing for product use. The US Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP2), as part of its rapid highway renewal focus area, has sponsored a study to advance modular/precast pavement technologies to enable cost-effective rapid repair and rehabilitation of pavements in high-volume traffic areas. This paper provides a summary of current initiatives in the USA related to precast pavement technology for intermittent repair of concrete pavements and provides a framework for advancing the technology in future years.