Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering

College of Engineering 4th Stage

Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Chapter 9

Thickness Design of Rigid Pavement

1-AASHTO Design Method:

Design Consideration:

• Pavement performance
• Drainage
• Reliability
• Traffic
• Subbase strength
• Subgrade strength

Pavement Performance
Pavement performance is considered in the same way as for flexible pavement.
The initial serviceability index (Pi) may be taken as 4.5, and the designer may
select the terminal serviceability index.

Drainage.
The drainage quality of the pavement is considered by introducing a factor (Cd)
into the performance equation. This factor depends on the quality of the
drainage and the percent of time the pavement structure is exposed to moisture
levels approaching saturation. Table 1 gives AASHTO-recommended values for
(Cd)

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Table 1: Recommended Values for Drainage Coefficient (Cd) for Rigid

Pavements

% of time pavement structure is exposed to

Quality of moisture levels approaching saturation
drainage
<1% (1-5) % (5-25) % > 25 %

Excellent 1.2 − 1.20 1.20 − 1.15 1.15 − 1.10 1.10

Good 1.20 − 1.15 1.15 − 1.10 1.10 − 1.00 1.00

Fair 1.15 − 1.10 1.10 − 1.00 1.00 − 0.90 0.90

Poor 1.10 − 1.00 1.00 − 0.90 0.90 − 0.80 0.80

Very Poor 1.00 − 0.90 0.90 − 0.80 0.80 − 0.70 0.70

Reliability.
Reliability considerations for rigid pavement are similar to those for flexible
pavement. Reliability levels, R %, and the overall standard deviation, So, are
incorporated directly in the design charts.

Traffic.
The treatment of traffic load is similar to that presented for flexible pavements,
in that the traffic load application is given in terms of the number of 18000 lb
equivalent single-axle loads (ESAL). ESAL factors depend on the slab
thickness and the terminal serviceability index of the pavement.
Since the ESAL factor depends on the thickness of the slab, it is therefore
necessary to assume the thickness of the slab at the start of the computation.

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

This assumed value is used to compute the number of accumulated ESAL,

which in turn is used to compute the required thickness. If the computed
thickness is significantly different from the assumed thickness, the accumulated
ESAL should be recomputed. This procedure should be repeated until the
assumed and computed thicknesses are approximately the same. Tables 2 and 3
give ESAL factors for rigid pavements with terminal serviceability index (P t) of
2.5 for single axle, tandem axle respectively.

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Table 2: ESAL Factors for Rigid Pavements, Single Axles, and Pt of 2.5

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Table 3: ESAL Factors for Rigid Pavements, Tandem Axles, and Pt of 2.5

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Table 3: ESAL Factors for Rigid Pavements, Tandem Axles, and Pt of 2.5

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Subbase Strength
The guide allows the use of either graded granular materials or suitably
stabilized materials for the subbase layer. Subbase thickness is usually not less
than 6 in. and should be extended 1 to 3 ft outside the edge of the pavement
structure.

Subgrade Strength

The strength of the subgrade is given in terms of the Westergaard modulus of

subgrade reaction (k), which is defined as the load in (Psi) on a loaded area,
divided by the deformation in inches.

Design Procedure:

The objective of the design is to determine the thickness of the concrete

pavement that is adequate to carry the projected design ESAL. The basic
equation developed in the AASHTO design guide for the pavement thickness is
given as:

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Where:

W18 = design traffic (18-kip ESAL)

ZR = standard normal deviate
So = combined standard error of traffic and performance prediction
D = thickness of pavement slab (inches)
ΔPSI = difference between initial and terminal serviceability indices = pi - pt
Pt = terminal serviceability value
S'c = modulus of rupture for Portland cement concrete (psi)
J = load transfer coefficient = 3.2 (assumed)
Cd = drainage coefficient
Ec = modulus of elasticity for Portland cement concrete (psi)
k = modulus of subgrade reaction (pci)

The slab thickness determined either from equation above or from design charts
as shown in figure 1.

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Figure 1: Design chart for Rigid Pavements

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Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Saleem Saad

Example:

Determine whether the 9 in. pavement thickness will be adequate on a rural

expressway with the following design criteria:
Pi = 4.5
Pt = 2.5
ESAL on design lane = 6 × 106
Concrete elastic modulus, Ec = 5 × 106 lb/in2
Mean concrete modulus of rupture Sʹ c= 700 lb/in2
Drainage conditions are such that Cd = 1.0
R = 0.95
So = 0.30
k = 170 Ib/in3

Solution:

From figures the obtained depth = 9 inch therefore the thickness of pavement is
adequate.

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Rigid Pavement

Rigid pavements are mostly found in major highways and airports. They also
serve as heavy-duty industrial floor slabs, harbor pavements, and heavy-vehicle
Park. The most common type of material used for rigid pavement slab
construction is Portland cement, aggregates, water and/or reinforcement. The
concrete slab must be designed to withstand repeated traffic loadings. Figures
below illustrated the typical cross section for rigid pavement and the load
transmission in rigid pavement.

Concrete course

Base course

Subgrade course

Typical cross section for rigid pavement

Load transmission in rigid pavement

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Types of Rigid Pavements

Rigid highway pavements can be divided into three general types: plain
concrete pavements, reinforced concrete pavements, and continuously
reinforced concrete pavements. The definition of each pavement type is related
to the amount of reinforcement used.

1- Plain Concrete Pavement (PCP)

Plain concrete pavement has no temperature steel or dowels for load transfer.
However, steel tie bars often are used to provide a hinge effect at longitudinal
joints and to prevent the opening of these joints.

Plain concrete pavements are used mainly on low-volume highways or when

cement-stabilized soils are used as subbase. Joints are placed at relatively
shorter distances (4.5 to 9 m) than with other types of concrete pavements to
reduce the amount of cracking.

2- Reinforced Concrete Pavement (RCP)

The use of temperature steel reinforcements in RCP allows joint spacing of up

to 30 m to be constructed. Doweled joints are usually required because of the
longer joint spacing. The required steel reinforcement, expressed as percent of
the cross-sectional area of the concrete slab, rarely exceeds 0.75%. Tie bars are
used commonly at longitudinal joints.

3-Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP)

Continuously reinforced concrete pavements have no transverse joints, except

construction joints or expansion joints when they are necessary at specific
positions, such as at bridges. These pavements have a relatively high percentage

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

of steel, with the minimum usually at 0.6 percent of the cross section of the slab.
It also contains tie bars across the longitudinal joints.

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Types of concrete pavement: (a) plain concrete pavement (PCP); (b) reinforced
concrete pavement (RCP); (c) continuous reinforced concrete pavement
(CRCP).
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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Dowel Bars (with transverse joint in the direction of traffic)

Dowel bars are used mainly as load-transfer mechanisms across joints. They
provide flexural, shearing, and bearing resistance. The dowel bars have a much
larger diameter than the wires used in temperature steel. Diameters of 1 to
1.5 inches and lengths of 2 to 3 ft. have been used, with the bars usually spaced
at 1 ft. centers across the width of the slab. At least one end of the bar should be
smooth and lubricated to facilitate free expansion.

Tie Bars (with longitudinal joint perpendicular to traffic)

Tie bars are used to tie two sections of the pavement together, and therefore
they should be either deformed bars or should contain hooks to facilitate the
bonding of the two sections of the concrete pavement with the bar. These bars
are usually much smaller in diameter than the dowel bars and are spaced at
larger centers. Typical diameter and spacing for these bars are 3⁄4 in. and 3 ft.
respectively.

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Joints in Concrete Pavements

Different types of joints are placed in concrete pavements to limit the stresses
induced by temperature changes and to facilitate proper bonding of two adjacent
sections of pavement when there is a time lapse between their construction (for
example, between the end of one day’s work and the beginning of the next).
These joints can be divided into four basic categories:

❖ Expansion joints
❖ Contraction joints
❖ Hinge joints
❖ Construction joints

Expansion Joints
When concrete pavement is subjected to an increase in temperature, it will
expand, resulting in an increase in length of the slab. When the temperature is
sufficiently high, the slab may buckle if it is sufficiently long and if no
provision is made to accommodate the increased length. Therefore, expansion
joints are usually placed transversely, at regular intervals, to provide adequate
space for the slab to expand.

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

These joints are placed across the full width of the slab and are 3⁄4 to 1 in wide.
The joint space is filled with a compressible filler material that permits the slab
to expand. Filler materials can be cork, rubber, bituminous materials.

Contraction Joints

When concrete pavement is subjected to a decrease in temperature, the slab will

contract if it is free to move. Prevention of this contraction movement will
induce tensile stresses in the concrete pavement. Contraction joints therefore are
placed transversely at regular intervals across the width of the pavement to
release some of the tensile stresses that are induced. The details of contraction
joints illustrated below:

Hinge Joints (Keyed joints):

Hinge joints are used mainly to reduce cracking along the centerline of highway
pavements. Figure below shows a typical hinge joint (keyed joint) suitable for
single-lane at a time construction. In some cases, a keyed construction joint may
also be used in the longitudinal direction when only a single lane is constructed
at a time.

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 Wasit University Highway and Transportation Engineering
College of Engineering 4th Stage
Civil Department Dr. Nabeel Salee m Saad

Construction Joints

Construction joints are placed transversely across the pavement width to

provide suitable transition between concrete laid at different times. For
example, a construction joint is usually placed at the end of a day’s cast to
provide suitable bonding with the start of the next day’s cast. A typical
construction joint is shown in figure below. An expansion joint can be used
instead of a transverse construction joint in cases where the construction joint
falls at or near the same position as the expansion joint.

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