Effects of Loss of Support on the Residual Life of JPCCP

One of the most frequent ajid insidious distresses in Jointed Portland Cement Concrete Pavements (JPCCP) is the loss of pavement support near the joint. This problem is principally caused by a lack of maintenance ofjoint sealing that can give rise to the well-known phenomenon called pumping in the presence of water along the pavement-subbase interface and in the absence of any load transfer device. That is one of the reasons for the general diffusion of Jointed Reinforced Concrete Pavements (JRCCP) and Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (CRCP) especially for liigli-volumc roads. Nevertheless the considerable savings in the construction of JPCCPs with no load transfer devices still make this type of pavement efficient for low-volume roads. Moreover, the problem is particularly important for the purposes of maintenance programs of the considerable numbers of existing Jointed Concrete Pavements. Analyses have been made in this paper to evaluate the effects on the residual life of the pavement due to the increase of the stress on the edge of the slab further to either partial or total loss of support. Calculations have been carried out with the Finite Element simulation of the structures for different slab thicknesses, concrete strengths and support conditions near the joint. The influence on the residual life ol the pavement in relation to the presentation of the phenomenon in different periods of the pavement life has also been evaluated.