Performance of a Concrete Pavement Overlay

This study evaluated the performance of a concrete overlay project in Indiana, located on I-69 from SR-18 to 5.6 miles (9 km) north of SR-18. A 10-inch (255 mm) thick unbonded concrete overlay was placed in 1986 and 1987. The annual average daily traffic (AADT) on the four-lane highway was 18,870, with 28 percent truck volume. The original jointed concrete pavement was badly D cracked (major surface distress due to freeze-thaw) and had been resurfaced with a bituminous overlay. The performance of the unbonded concrete overlay has been monitored since 1987. Pavement roughness, friction, and deflection were measured and visual inspections of the pavement distresses were conducted. This article presents the study results of the performance of the concrete overlay during the 8-year period after construction.