Utilizing Advanced Characterization Tools to Prevent Reflective Cracking

• Published in: Journal of performance of constructed facilities Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 390 - 398
• Main Authors: Chen, Dar-Hao, Nam, Boo Hyun, Yao, Zhanyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01-08-2010
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building failures (cracks, physical changes, etc.); Buildings. Public works; Durability. Pathology. Repairing. Maintenance; Exact sciences and technology; Repair (reinforcement, strenthening); Road construction. Pavements. Maintenance; Surfacing; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Transportation infrastructure; Deflection; Pavement; Cracking; Continuous deflection; Failures; Reflective cracking; Concrete pavement; Characterization; Case study; Prevention; Threshold values; Overlay tester; Rolling dynamic deflectometer; Failure analysis; Rehabilitation; Overlay; Deflectograph; Concrete pavements; Damaging; Method study
• ISSN: 0887-3828; 1943-5509
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000109

To prevent premature failures of rehabilitated concrete pavements, transportation authorities need tools to characterize the prerehab pavement condition of its load carrying capacity, and to determine the resistance of the overlay material to underlying crack/joint movements. Two quantitative methods, the rolling dynamic deflectometer (RDD) and overlay tester (OT), along with field performance data were employed in rehabilitation studies involving reflective cracks. The RDD is able to continuously assess vertical differential movements at joints/cracks that represent the potential for reflective cracks on existing pavements. The OT has the ability to determine the resistance of the overlay material to underlying crack/joint movements. The RDD
W1−W3
deflections were used to determine areas that have a high potential for reflective cracking due to poor load transfer across joints and cracks. This paper documents results from the RDD and OT on the following five rehabilitation projects: (1) SH225; (2) US96; (3) SH12; (4) SH342; and (5) IH35W. Based on the available test results from these five projects, it was observed that the
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threshold values of 5.5 mils (0.140 mm) for exposed concrete pavement and 6.5 mils (0.165 mm) for composite pavement with existing hot mix asphalt overlay and an OT threshold value of 700 cycles correlated well with the field performance. Ignoring either of these critical factors may lead to premature reflective cracking.