NEW CONCEPTS IN PRESTRESSED CONCRETE PAVEMENTS. INTERIM REPORT

Previously conducted research and testing has indicated the superiority of prestressed concrete pavement over conventional concrete pavement in at least three respects: (1) more efficient use of construction materials; (2) fewer required joints and less probability of cracking; and (3) reduced overlay thickness, which not only reduces the required quantity of concrete, but would also be advantageous where clearance is a problem, for example, under bridges. This report on prestressed concrete pavement (a) thoroughly reviews and summarizes the available literature to ascertain the current state of the art; (b) critically evaluates the design, construction, and performance of several FHWA sponsored projects which were constructed during the 1970s; and (c) provides the details of a design and the associated construction details and procedures based on (a) and (b) to be used in connection with two demonstration projects. In addition, several other prestressed concrete pavement concepts are introduced and developed in this report. These concepts represent a progression of thought regarding prestressed concrete pavement and address many of the problems encountered on previous projects. Recommendations are given for additional investigation, laboratory and field testing, and analytical studies to further develop the concepts and determine their viability.