DOWEL PLACEMENT TOLERANCES FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS

The results of an investigation conducted to develop placement tolerances for dowels at concrete pavement joints are presented. A theoretical analysis of dowel misalignment was attempted. The purpose of the analysis was to compute restraint stresses induced in the concrete pavement for different levels of dowel misalignment. However, because of the complexity of correctly incorporating the three-dimensional nature of dowel misalignment, the theoretical analysis was not completed. The effect of dowel misalignment was then investigated in the laboratory by conducting pullout tests on sections of concrete slabs incorporating a joint and dowels with different levels of misalignment. Test results are presented that indicate that pullout loads were relatively low for dowel misalignment levels of less than 1 in. per 18-in. length of dowel bar and a maximum joint opening of 0.25 in.