Inclusion of Built-In Curling Temperature Profile in Curling-Stress Determination for Rigid Pavement

Abstract

There is a significant difference on the setting temperature gradient when concrete paving is conducted under different conditions. The strain distribution through the depth of portland cement concrete slab changes greatly after considering the setting temperature profile. Currently, the consideration on built-in curling is simplified to the temperature difference between the top and bottom of portland cement concrete slab. The primary objective of this paper was to develop an approach that is capable of incorporating the nonlinearity of the setting temperature gradient into the determination of nonlinear curling stress. Typical weather conditions in summer and fall were also selected to illustrate the influence of built-in curling on the curling stress determination. Furthermore, to better understand the effect of paving conditions on pavement performance, comparisons of transverse cracking and longitudinal cracking between 47 test sections constructed in the summer and 43 sections constructed in the cooler seasons in long-term pavement performance database were performed. Pavement performance corresponded with the curling stress analysis in the research reported in this paper.