UK practice for the design and construction of concrete roads

1.1 Concrete roads constructed in the enited Kingdom based on the advice contained J.n Road Note 29 (3rd Edition) 1970 have generally proved to be satisfactory in that as far as is known there have been no failure of slabs due to traffic loading. l'lhere failures have occurred these have been due to other reasons such as poor construction and inadequate foundations due to a lack of appreciation of ground conditions. 1.2 The ma jori ty of these roads have not yet carrl.ed theu design traffic loading, but there are some that have and have performed well. Information, from these roads, maintenance feedback, predicted increase in future traffic loading and design developments since the publication of RN 29, have necessitated the Department of Transport to consolidate this information and revise its Standard for the desJ.gn of concrete, composite and bitu:minous pavements together with the Specification for their construction. This paper considers only concrete and ri9id composite pavements and