Federal Highway Administration - Research, Development, and Technology

CONCRETE MATERIALS AND MIX DESIGN FOR ASSURING DURABLE PAVEMENTS

INFLUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION

Our job is not finished once good mix and pavement designs have been obtained. To be successful, the construction process must then get in place what was designed (see Table 2). First, the concrete produced must equal the concrete designed during the laboratory phase. Next, the quality of that concrete must be controlled throughout production. The site must be well prepared prior to the start of paving, including uniformity of any supporting layers and placement of reinforcing and/or dowel baskets. The concrete must be delivered to the site at a rate consistent with the speed and demands of the paving train, to avoid stops and starts. The equipment must be well maintained and in good shape with a well trained crew to enable consistent placement and consolidation.

Proper finishing must be carried out for smoothness (and its effect on dynamic loads and ride). The texturing must be adequate for friction and durable to withstand wear. Proper curing must be applied to prevent uncontrolled cracking and obtain strength at the surface. Finally, joints must be sawed in a timely fashion to control cracking and provide equal opening of all transverse joints.

Influence of the Environment | Summary

 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/pavement/pccp/conc6.htm