Reliability Assessment of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements

Abstract

This paper describes a reliability model developed for continuously reinforced concrete pavements (CRCPs) for the Texas Department of Transportation. The model predicts the probability that a CRCP section with a certain amount of distress manifestations will last at least a certain number of equivalent‐single‐axle‐load (ESAL) applications. An existent Texas CRCP distress index was used to quantify the pavement condition, and accurate predictions of ESALs to failure were obtained for each reliability level using a CRCP database containing more than 80% of nonfailed sections. While conventional methods for model calibration would preclude use of more than 80% of test sections in the database, the approach used here takes into account the data provided by nonfailed sections, maximizing the amount of information extracted from the data, and allowing timely development of an operational pavement management system to comply with the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Act. An example of the model application in pavement management is presented, and the practical advantages of the CRCP model over traditional models are discussed.