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Control of Random Crack Formation in Portland Cement Concrete Pavements

by Yeou-Shang Jenq, Ohio State Univ, Columbus, United States,
Sang-Chel Kim, Ohio State Univ, Columbus, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Structures Congress XII

Abstract:

Random crack formation in concrete pavements, which is mainly due to the development of tensile stress caused by temperature-induced volumetric change and shrinkage deformation at early ages of concrete, is frequently observed within a few days after placement of concrete. To control random crack formation, current practice calls for a transverse sawcut of about 1/4 to 1/3 of the pavement thickness in an attempt to confine the random cracks to the sawcut location. In the present paper, the effectiveness of this practice in controlling random crack formation was evaluated using fracture mechanics analysis. It was found that crack propagation in a concrete pavement without sawcut is more unstable compared to that in a pavement with sawcut. Furthermore, the introduction of sawcut drastically reduces the temperature differential needed to initial and propagate a crack in the pavement. Furthermore, in order for the sawcut to be effective, it was found that the sawcut has to be introduced well before the occurrence of random cracks, that is, the timing of sawcut is very critical to the success of crack control.

Subject Headings: Concrete pavements | Cracking | Pavement condition | Temperature effects | Thermal loads | Portland cement | Shrinkage (material)

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