Joint Spalling in Newly Constructed Concrete Pavements

Abstract

Spalling has been observed repeatedly at joints in newly constructed airfield pavements. Investigations of specific occurrences found a variety of causes for these problems, but they could all be categorized as being caused primarily by poor construction practices. Poor construction practice left low strength and nondurable material at the surface or along joints that began spalling relatively soon after construction ended. In some instances, the poor construction practices may have included poor concrete mixture proportioning that made construction in the field difficult. Suggestions are presented to help avoid these problems.