The Potential of Thinner Concrete Pavements: Evidence from Accelerated Testing

Overseas thin concrete slabs have been used successfully and have been shown to be economic. To evaluate the suitability of this type of construction under South African conditions, four experimental sections were constructed to evaluate the interaction of slab thickness and subbase thickness and quality. The sections were trafficked with the Heavy Vehicle Simulator, and by normal traffic. Critical responses were identified and terminal values defined. For heavily trafficked routes a nonerodible subbase of at least 150 mm should be used under a thin slab, but on low volume roads (up to 0,8 million E80s) a thin slab (160mm) can be placed directly on the subgrade. The potential of thin slabs for use in South Africa was demonstrated.