Rigid Pavement Mechanics

Curling Stresses

Sources of Stress

Autogenous (Curing) Shrinkage

Thermal Contraction/Expansion
Thermal Curling
Moisture Warping
Frost Heave
Expansive Soils
Wheel Loads

Major Distress Conditions

Fatigue Cracking
Bottom-up transverse cracks
Top-down transverse cracks
Longitudinal cracks
Corner breaks

Joint Faulting (JPCP and JRCP)

Pumping (JPCP and JRCP)
Punchouts (CRCP)

Design Considerations

Slab Thickness
Base Type and Thickness
Joint Spacing
Temperature Steel
Dowel Bars
Drainage

Beam Bending
qo = q b (applied load per unit length)
qo
ko

Beam Bending
dM
V
dx
dV
qo
dx

d M
qo
2
dx

Shear and Moment Relationships

Beam Bending
2

1 d w
2
R dx
M

EI

d w
M EI 2
dx

Moment-Curvature Relationships

Beam Bending
2

d
d w
EI 2 qo
2
dx
dx
2

d w
EI 4 qo
dx
Governing Differential Equation for Beam Bending

Beams on Elastic Foundations

qo = q b (applied load per unit length)
qo
ko
p = ko w = k b w (resistance per unit length)
Modulus of Subgrade Reaction

Beams on Elastic Foundations

dM
V
dx
dV
ko w qo
dx

d M
ko w qo
2
dx

Shear and Moment Relationships

Beam Bending
2

1 d w
2
R dx
M

EI

d w
M EI 2
dx

Moment-Curvature Relationships

Beams on Elastic Foundations

2

d
d w
EI 2 ko w qo
2
dx
dx
2

d 4w
EI 4 ko w qo
dx
Governing Differential Equation for Beam Bending

Beams on Elastic Foundations

4

d w
EI 4 ko w 0
dx
w ex C1 sin x C2 cos x ex C3 sin x C4 cos x

k
4 o
4 EI

(flexibility)

Solution of the Homogeneous Differential Equation

Slabs on Elastic Foundations

2

d w
M EI 2
dx

Beams

2w
2w
Mx D 2 2
y
x
Moment-Curvature Relationships

Slabs

Slabs on Elastic Foundations

Eh

12 1

Slab Stiffness

Slabs on Elastic Foundations

d 4w
EI 4 ko w qo
dx

Beams

4
4
4w
w
w
D 4 2 2 2
kw q Slabs
4
x y
y Modulus of
x
Subgrade Reaction

Governing Differential Equation for Slab Bending

Slabs on Elastic Foundations

k
o
4

4 EI
Radius of
Relative
Stiffness

Beams

D
Eh3
4
2
k
12 1 k

Slabs

Solution of the Homogeneous Differential Equation

Stresses Due to Curling

Temperature Curling
COOL

UPWARD CURLING

WARM

DOWNWARD CURLING
WARM

COOL

Reference Axes

Infinite Slab Curling

y
x
x

E
E
y
x
y

E
E
Hookes Law for an Infinite Elastic Plate

Slab Bent About y-axis

Infinite Slab Curling

y

x
y

0
E
E
y x 0

y x
If slab is bent about the y axis, y = 0

Infinite Slab Curling

x
x x
2
1
x

E
E
E

E x
x
1 2
Slab bent about y axis

Slab Bent About y-axis

E x
x
2
1

Slab Bent About x-axis

Infinite Slab Curling

y
x
x

0
E
E
x y 0

x y
If slab is bent about the x axis, x = 0

Infinite Slab Curling

y
y y
y

1 2
E
E
E

E y
y
2
1
Slab bent about x axis

Slab Bent About x-axis

E y
y
2
1

Infinite Slab Curling

Coefficient of
Thermal Expansion

t
x y
2

Strains due to temperature difference t through slab depth

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

Aggregate
Type
Quartz
Sandstone
Gravel
Granite
Basalt
Limestone

Coefficient
(10-6 in/in/oF)
6.6
6.5
6.0
5.3
4.8
3.8

Infinite Slab Curling

E x
Et
x

2
2
1
2 1

y x

Et

2 1

Stresses due to curling about y axis due to temperature difference

Infinite Slab Curling

E y
Et
y

2
1
2 1 2

x y

Et

2 1 2

Stresses due to curling about x axis due to temperature difference

Infinite Slab Curling

x, y

Et

2 1

Et

2 1

Maximum curling stresses in an infinite slab

Finite Slab Curling

x , y C1

Et

2 1

C2

Et

2 1

Curling stresses in the Interior of a Finite Slab

Finite Slab Curling

Finite Slab Curling

y x 0 0

x, y

Et
C1
2

Curling stresses at the Edges of a Finite Slab