Influences of slab fracturing techniques on long-term performance of rehabilitated PCC pavements

ABSTRACT

This study examined a specific pavement study (SPS-6) in the long-term pavement performance (LTPP) program to evaluate the influences of the three slab fracturing techniques, namely, crack and seat (C&S), break and seat (B&S), and rubblization on the performance of rehabilitated PCC pavements with asphalt overlays. Fourteen projects using a variety of PCC rehabilitation treatments were identified from the LTPP SPS-6 experiment, and the corresponding climatic data, traffic volume, layer thicknesses, back-calculated layer moduli, and performance data such as pavement smoothness, rut depth, longitudinal and transverse cracking were assembled. Two performance indicators, weighted annual average performance (WAAP) and average annual incremental performance (AAIP), were used to quantify the pavement performance. Statistical analysis results indicate that the C&S or B&S with a 20 cm asphalt overlay provided significantly better transverse cracking performance than a 10 cm asphalt overlay on PCC pavements. The rubblization technique nearly eliminated reflective cracking distress. A multiple linear regression model was developed to correlate design factors with the transverse cracking performance of rehabilitated PCC pavements. The layer thickness of PCC slab, modulus of fractured slab, modulus ratio of E_PCC/E_AC, and freezing index were identified as significant factors affecting the transverse cracking performance of C&S or B&S pavements.

KEYWORDS:

• Long-term pavement performance
• PCC rehabilitation
• asphalt overlay
• slab fracturing techniques
• SPS-6

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Special thanks are extended to Trenton Clark and Craig Parker for their insightful remarks. The authors confirm contribution to the paper as follows: study conception and design: F. Gu, R. West, B. Bowers, and R. Willis; data collection: F. Gu, and R. Willis; analysis and interpretation of results: F. Gu; draft manuscript preparation: F. Gu, R. West, and B. Bowers. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Asphalt Pavement Association.