The Actuality & Prospect of RCCP in China

The research on RCCP was launched in early 80' in China. The laboratory test started in 1981 followed by the first sectioii of field experimcnt road in 1982. And then extended resmrch was carried out in 1983 and 1984. A few years later in 1988, the research on Cement Concrete Pavement Development Strategy and Construction Technique was further promoted by the National Program of Science and Technology Guiding Projects. During that period of time, there was few large scale payers and pavement construction was highly rely on manual or small scale paving equipment which could not result a high paving quality. Consequently, the researches were mainly focused on the AC + RCC composition and full depth RCCP foi lower class highways using simple equipment. In recent years, with rapid development of high class highways, more and more sophisticated equipment are used, such as high compactness payers and vibrating rollers, which creates new opportunity for the development of RCCP. The National Key Science and Technology Projects of the Eighth- Five-Year-Plan included the "Research on Cement Concrete Pavement Material and Application for High Class Highways' as part of its program. A very important part of the project was research on the complete set of teeliiiolugy for RCCP, which was undertaken by the Highway Research Institute of the Ministry of Communications (MOC). The research, aiming at high class highways, was carried out systematically from various aspects including materials, construction techniques, skid resistance and joints techniques. Breakthrough progresses were made in pavement evenness, skid resistance and joints and a complete set of construction technology of RCCP was primarily formed. Meanwhile, progresses were also made in other aspects such as design method of the AC + RCC composition structure and the techniques of reducing reflected cracking. This paper examines the research and application of RCCP in China aiid piesents a vicw of development prospect. It mainly covers the following aspects: • Basic research on RCC including consistency index, proportioning design method and fatigue behavior. • Construction technique research on equipment and construction process. • Research on spacing and tie bar techniques of RCCP joints. • Research on using geotextile to reduce reflected cracking of AC + RCC composite pavement. • The applicalion J)FOSpecl of RCCP in China.