Federal Highway Administration - Research, Development, and Technology

CONCRETE MATERIALS AND MIX DESIGN FOR ASSURING DURABLE PAVEMENTS

SUMMARY

Although this paper is intended to be a discussion of the various aspects of concrete materials and mix design which must be considered to produce durable, long-lasting pavements, it should be apparent from the forgoing that the other aspects of rigid pavement design and construction must also be considered.

When selecting materials and designing the concrete mix, the characteristics, influence on performance and interaction of the various components must be well understood. Further, the materials tested in the laboratory must be the same ones used on the job.
The pavement type being constructed will influence the structural requirements placed on the concrete, so the mix and pavement design processes should go hand-in-hand. The environment at the site can make or break a project: in the short term, the construction process must compensate for any environmental conditions that will be harmful to the concrete during the first several days of hydration and strength gain; in the long-term, the concrete and pavement must be designed to withstand the temperature and moisture regimes (including freeze-thaw cycling) in which they will be placed.

Finally, the construction process must control the quality of the concrete produced; adequately prepare the site; time activities to produce constant paving rates; provide good consolidation and finishing; timely and adequate curing, and timely joint sawing. Following all these steps from materials selection through construction will assure durable concrete pavement with excellent long-term performance.

Influence of the Construction | Tables & References

 

http://www.tfhrc.gov/pavement/pccp/concr7.htm