PCC Joint Faulting Measurements at the Mn/ROAD Project

Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements are constructed with transverse contraction joints to relieve stresses in the slabs caused by temperature and moisture. Over time, traffic loading and erosion of the soil layers under PCC slabs results in stepping or “faulting” of the transverse joints. Faulted joints have a direct impact on the ride quality of the pavement. A review of the literature shows gaps in the availability of long-term field data on joint faulting of PCC pavements. Once long-term field data are available, trends in joint faulting can be established and modeled. This will lead to greatly improved pavement design procedures.