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Rigidpavementdesign

Rigidpavementdesign
LecturenotesinTransportationSystemsEngineering
3August2009

Overview
Asthenameimplies,rigidpavementsarerigidi.e,theydonotflex
much under loading like flexible pavements. They are constructed
using cement concrete. In this case, the load carrying capacity is
mainly due to the rigidity ad high modulus of elasticity of the slab
(slab action). H. M. Westergaard is considered the pioneer in
providingtherationaltreatmentoftherigidpavementanalysis.

Modulusofsubgradereaction
Westergaard considered the rigid pavement slab as a thin elastic
platerestingonsoilsubgrade,whichisassumedasadenseliquid.
Theupwardreactionisassumedtobeproportionaltothedeflection.
Base on this assumption, Westergaard defined a modulus of sub
grade reaction

in kg/cm given by

displacement level taken as 0.125 cm and

where

is the

is the pressure

sustained by the rigid plate of 75 cm diameter at a deflection of

0.125cm.

Relativestiffnessofslabtosubgrade
A certain degree of resistance to slab deflection is offered by the
subgrade. The subgrade deformation is same as the slab
deflection. Hence the slab deflection is direct measurement of the
magnitude of the subgrade pressure. This pressure deformation
characteristicsofrigidpavementleadWestergaardtothedefinethe
termradiusofrelativestiffness incmisgivenbytheequation .

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(1)

where E is the modulus of elasticity of cement concrete in kg/cm

(3.0

10 ), isthePoisson'sratioofconcrete(0.15), istheslab

thicknessincmand

isthemodulusofsubgradereaction.

Criticalloadpositions
Since the pavement slab has finite length and width, either the
character or the intensity of maximum stress induced by the
applicationofagiventrafficloadisdependentonthelocationofthe
load on the pavement surface. There are three typical locations
namely the interior, edge and corner, where differing conditions of
slab continuity exist. These locations are termed as critical load
positions.

Equivalentradiusofresistingsection
Whentheinteriorpointisloaded,onlyasmallareaofthepavement
isresistingthebendingmomentoftheplate.Westergaard'sgivesa
relation for equivalent radius of the resisting section in cm in the
equation .
(2)

where istheradiusofthewheelloaddistributionincmand is
theslabthicknessincm.

WheelloadstressesWestergaard'sstressequation
The cement concrete slab is assumed to be homogeneous and to
have uniform elastic properties with vertical subgrade reaction
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being proportional to the deflection. Westergaard developed

relationships for the stress at interior, edge and corner regions,
denoted as

in kg/cm respectively and given by the

equation .
(3)

(4)

(5)

where istheslabthicknessincm,

isthewheelloadinkg, is

the radius of the wheel load distribution in cm, the radius of the
relativestiffnessincmand istheradiusoftheresistingsectionin
cm

Figure:Criticalstresslocations

Temperaturestresses
Temperature stresses are developed in cement concrete pavement
due to variation in slab temperature. This is caused by (i) daily
variationresultinginatemperaturegradientacrossthethicknessof
theslaband(ii)seasonalvariationresultinginoverallchangeinthe
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slab temperature. The former results in warping stresses and the

laterinfrictionalstresses.

Warpingstress
Thewarpingstressattheinterior,edgeandcornerregions,denoted
as

inkg/cm respectivelyandgivenbytheequation .
(6)

(7)

(8)

where

isthemodulusofelasticityofconcreteinkg/cm (3

), isthethermalcoefficientofconcreteper C(1

10

10

) isthe

temperaturedifferencebetweenthetopandbottomoftheslab,
and
and

are the coefficient based on

in the desired direction

right angle to the desired direction,

is the Poisson's

ration(0.15), istheradiusofthecontactareaand istheradius

oftherelativestiffness.

Frictionalstresses
Thefrictionalstress

inkg/cm isgivenbytheequation
(9)

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where

istheunitweightofconcreteinkg/cm (2400), isthe

coefficientofsubgradefriction(1.5)and isthelengthoftheslab
inmeters.

Combinationofstresses
The cumulative effect of the different stress give rise to the
followingtheecriticalcases
Summer, midday: The critical stress is for edge region given
by
Winter, midday: The critical combination of stress is for the
edgeregiongivenby
Midnights: The critical combination of stress is for the corner
regiongivenby

Designofjoints
Expansionjoints
Thepurposeoftheexpansionjointistoallowtheexpansionofthe
pavement due to rise in temperature with respect to construction
temperature.Thedesignconsiderationare:
Providedalongthelongitudinaldirection,
design involves finding the joint spacing for a given expansion
jointthickness(say2.5cmspecifiedbyIRC)subjectedtosome
maximumspacing(say140asperIRC)

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Figure:Expansionjoint

Contractionjoints
Thepurposeofthecontractionjointistoallowthecontractionofthe
slab due to fall in slab temperature below the construction
temperature.Thedesignconsiderationsare:
Themovementisrestrictedbythesubgradefriction
Designinvolvesthelengthoftheslabgivenby:
(10)

where,

istheallowablestressintensionincementconcrete

and is taken as 0.8 kg/cm ,

is the unit weight of the

concrete which can be taken as 2400 kg/cm and

is the

coefficientofsubgradefrictionwhichcanbetakenas1.5.
Steel reinforcements can be use, however with a maximum
spacingof4.5masperIRC.

Figure:Contractionjoint
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Dowelbars
The purpose of the dowel bar is to effectively transfer the load
between two concrete slabs and to keep the two slabs in same
height. The dowel bars are provided in the direction of the traffic
(longitudinal).Thedesignconsiderationsare:
Mildsteelroundedbars,
bondedononesideandfreeonotherside

Bradbury'sanalysis
Bradbury'sanalysisgivesloadtransfercapacityofsingledowelbar
inshear,bendingandbearingasfollows:
(11)
(12)

(13)

where,

istheloadtransfercapacityofasingledowelbarinshear

,bending andbearing , isthediameterofthebarincm,

is the length of the embedment of dowel bar in cm, is the joint
widthincm,

arethepermissiblestressinshear,bending

andbearingforthedowelbarinkg/cm .

Designprocedure
Step Find the length of the dowel bar embedded in slab

by

equatingEq. =Eq. ,i.e.

(14)

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Step Find the load transfer capacities

, and

of single

dowelbarwiththe
StepAssumeloadcapacityofdowelbaris40percentwheelload,
findtheloadcapacityfactorfas
(15)

StepSpacingofthedowelbars.
Effective distance upto which effective load transfer take place
isgivenby

,where istheradiusofrelativestiffness.

Assumealinearvariationofcapacityfactorof1.0underloadto
0at

Assume a dowel spacing and find the capacity factor of the

abovespacing.
Actual capacity factor should be greater than the required
capacityfactor.
Ifnot,doonemoreiterationwithnewspacing.

Example
Design size and spacing of dowel bars at an expansion joint of
concretepavementofthickness25cm.Giventheradiusofrelative
stiffnessof80cm.designwheelload5000kg.Loadcapacityofthe
dowelsystemis40percentofdesignwheelload.Jointwidthis2.0
cmand the permissible stressinshear,bendingandbearingstress
indowelbarsare1000,1400and100

respectively.

Solution:

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Given,

,
assume

and

put

,
and

diameter.

Step1:lengthofthedowelbar

Solvefor

bytrialanderror:

put

put

Minimum length of the dowel bar is

,So,provide
.Therefore

longand

Step2:Findtheloadtransfercapacityofsingledowelbar

Therefore,therequiredloadtransfercapacity

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Step3 : Find the required spacing: Effective distance of load

transfer

.Assuming

spacing,

Actualcapacityis

Thereforeassume

spacingandnowtheactualcapacityis

Therefore provide

mild steel dowel bars of length

centertocenter.

Tiebars
Incontrasttodowelbars,tiebarsarenotloadtransferdevices,but
serveasameanstotietwoslabs.Hencetiebarsmustbedeformed
orhookedandmustbefirmlyanchoredintotheconcretetofunction
properly. They are smaller than dowel bars and placed at large
intervals.Theyareprovidedacrosslongitudinaljoints.
Step Diameter and spacing: The diameter and the spacing is first
foundoutbyequatingthetotalsubgradefrictiontothetotaltensile
stressforaunitlength(onemeter).Hencetheareaofsteelperone
meterin

isgivenby:

(16)

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where, isthewidthofthepavementpanelin
thepavementin

, isthedepthof

istheunitweightoftheconcrete(assume

), isthecoefficientoffriction(assume

),and

is

the allowable working tensile stress in steel (assume

Assume

to

).

barsforthedesign.

StepLengthofthetiebar:Lengthofthetiebaristwicethelength
needed to develop bond stress equal to the working tensile stress
andisgivenby:

where, is the diameter of the bar,

stress in

, and

(17)

is the allowable tensile

is the allowable bond stress and can be

assumed for plain and deformed bars respectively as

and

Example
A cement concrete pavement of thickness 18 cm, has two lanes of
7.2mwithajoint.Designthetiebars.(Solution:)Givenh=18
cm, b=7.2/2=3.6m,

.Step1:diameterandspacing:Get

Assume

.
, say

Therefore

from

spacing

is

Step 2: Length of the bar: Get

from
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[Ans]Use

tiebarsoflengthof

Summary
Design of rigid pavements is based on Westergaard's analysis,
where modulus of subgrade reaction, radius of relative stiffness,
radius of wheel load distribution are used. For critical design, a
combination of load stress, frictional stress and warping stress is
considered.Differenttypesofjointsarerequiredlikeexpansionand
contractionjoints.Theirdesignisalsodealtwith.

Problems
1.Designsizeandspacingofdowelbarsatanexpansionjointof
concrete pavement of thickness 20 cm. Given the radius of
relative stiffness of 90 cm. design wheel load 4000 kg. Load
capacity of the dowel system is 40 percent of design wheel
load.Jointwidthis3.0cmandthepermissiblestressinshear,
bending and bearing stress in dowel bars are 1000,1500 and
100

respectively.

2.Design the length and spacing of tie bars given that the
pavement thickness is 20cm and width of the road is 7m with
one longitudinal joint. The unit weight of concrete is 2400
, the coefficient of friction is 1.5, allowable working
tensile stress in steel is 1750
deformedbarsis24.6

, and bond stress of

Solutions

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1.Given,

,
assume

and

and

diameter.

Step1:lengthofthedowelbar

Solvingfor

bytrialanderror,itis=39.5cmMinimumlength

ofthedowelbaris
longand

,So,provide
.Therefore

Step2:Findtheloadtransfercapacityofsingledowelbar

Therefore,therequiredloadtransfercapacity(referequation)

Step3 : Find the required spacing: Effective distance of load

transfer

Assuming

spacing,

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Actualcapacityis

Assuming40cmspacing,capacityis,

So we should consider 2.52>2.335 as it is greater and more

neartoothervalue.Thereforeprovide
barsoflength
2.2.Given

mildsteeldowel

centertocenter.

h=20

cm,

b=7/2=3.5m,
.Step1:diameter

andspacing:

Assume

. Therefore spacing is
,say

[Ans]Use

Step2:Lengthofthebar:

tiebarsoflengthof

NoReferences!
Prof.TomV.Mathew20090803
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