Joint sealants are indispensable components of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP), the standard construction method in Germany. The joint filling system is subjected to various loads during their service life, which in practice lead to a regular renewal of the sealing after about 7 -10 years. Nevertheless, it must be...
Use of glass fibre reinforced polymer bars in concrete pavements
The use of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars as an alternative to steel reinforcement has considerably increased over the past decade. Design-related information is now available and can be adapted into the Australian design and construction practice. The results of technological research and field implementation in concrete pavements carried...
Construction – The Devil’s in the Detailed Design
Rigid pavement RFIs (request for information) and NCRs (nonconformance report) are an ongoing battle between contractors and designers. This is the frontline of construction phase services (CPS) and when not managed correctly, can lead to tension between contractors and designers, which can lead to breakdown of communications and affect construction...
Neoprene Joint Seals for Concrete Pavements
Australian concrete pavements are relatively unique in the world with the majority consisting of unreinforced jointed plain concrete. Joints are sealed to prevent ingress of incompressible particles that can cause premature failure. Over the past decade one of the most substantial short-term maintenance costs for plain concrete pavements has been...
Recent Advances and Uses of Roller Compacted Concrete for Pavement Construction in the United States
Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) is a no slump concrete that is placed by an asphalt paver and compacted with vibratory rollers similar to asphalt pavement construction. RCC has long history of good performance as a pavement for ports, container yards, and manufacturing plants. This paper will summarize a recent survey...
More Durable & Thinner Steel Fibre Concrete Pavements
Steel fibre reinforced concrete has been widely used for pavement construction. The conventional pavement design methodology and that of adopted by the Australian pavement design guidelines are generally based on elastic theory. The addition of steel fibres to concrete enhances the post crack tensile strength and provides significant ductility. Consequently,...
A Fresh Look at Pavement Life Costs
Whole of life cycle costing of pavements has not been revisited for nearly 27 years since 1990 by the Bureau of Transport Economics (now BITRE). Previously, asphalt pavements were considered to have a lower cost of construction but required regular maintenance (every 5 to 10 years) whereas concrete pavements are...
The important role materials play in concrete pavement design, performance, and service life
The materials that make up concrete have a direct influence on the decisions made during pavement design and construction, as well as the performance of the pavement in service. What happens when material performance varies from what was considered at design stage? What if we need to change construction methods...
Getting the Most from Roadway Investments
Roadways & pavements play a vital, but underappreciated role in our nation’s economic competitiveness. Implementation of two policies can improve the pavement network investment efficiency; Introduce more competition into the pavement bidding process Use “Remaining Service Interval” concept to allocate resources effectively at the pavement network level Together, these policies...
Influence of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) Cement in concrete pavement mix designs
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) pavement specifications require the use of Grade 1 fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace slag cement (GGBFS) for R82 – lean mix concrete subbase [1], and also fly ash and/or GGBFS for R83 – Concrete Pavement Base [2], where reactive aggregates are used. This...
How Runway Pavement Value Choices are Influenced by Construction Costs, Loading, Subgrade and Operational Considerations
In Australia, most runway pavements are constructed from asphalt, however the reverse is markedly true for the USA. Melbourne’s Essendon runway was originally concrete but was overlaid with thick asphalt many years ago. Asphalt runways at Melbourne’s Tullamarine and Amberley have some sections of concrete. This paper explores the determination...
The Case For Lower Strength Gain and Early Age Acceptance of Concrete for Road Pavements
The objective of this paper is to encourage informed discussion among concrete pavement engineers. In New South Wales there is a substantial length of contemporary concrete highway construction. A very large inventory of concrete strength results is available. These have shown that construction specification requirements are being significantly exceeded in...