FINAL REPORT
PROPOSED PROCESS FOR DESIGN OF
PRECAST CONCRETE PAVEMENTS
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
TASK ORDER NO. 56A0315-003
A member of the Fugro group of companies with offices throughout the world.
State of California, Department of Transportation
December 31, 2012 (Project No. 04.62120011.03)
ABSTRACT
Precast concrete pavement (PCP) technology is of recent origin. The production use of the
PCP technology began in earnest during 2001. The PCP systems are used in highway
corridors with high volume of traffic and where lane closures are a challenge. Over the last 10
years, several US highway agencies, including California DOT (Caltrans), Illinois Tollway, New
Jersey DOT, New York State DOT, and Utah DOT, have implemented the PCP technology and
a few other agencies have constructed demonstration projects. The implemented PCP systems
include proprietary as well as non-proprietary systems. Because the production use of PCP
technology in the US is of recent origin and the information on PCP practices and performance
is not well documented, the PCP design processes are not yet fully developed.
The California PCP projects to date have been designed using a "best practice" approach that
considers feedback from the HDM Topic 620, recommendations from pavement designers, and
constraints related to existing pavement thickness. However, in order to ensure that future PCP
systems are optimally designed and alternate PCP systems can be evaluated objectively,
Caltrans is seeking a rational PCP design procedure that allows evaluation of expected
performance of the various PCP systems that may be considered in future.
This report provides a proposed approach to develop the designs for jointed and posttensioned
precast concrete pavement systems. The precast pavement types considered are jointed
systems and prestressed systems. For the jointed PCP systems, the design process
incorporates the use of AASHTO's recommended MEPDG/DARWin-ME approach to establish
the difference in slab/panel thickness requirement between a conventional cast-in-place jointed
concrete pavement and the jointed precast concrete pavement. The difference in thickness is
then applied to the HDM 620 determined thickness for the conventional cast-in-place concrete
pavement to establish the design thickness for the jointed precast concrete pavement panels.
For the prestressed systems, a new software utility, CalPPCP, was developed. CalPPCP
performs the following tasks:
1. Determines the prestressed concrete panel thickness using an equivalency concept
based on the design approach developed by the University of Texas.
2. Determines the adequacy of the prestressing system
3. Determines the expansion joint width parameters.
The report also includes the application of the proposed precast concrete pavement approach to
sections of Routes 710, 5, and 405 that are being rehabilitated using the PPCP system. As
indicated in the report, PPCP panel thickness of 9.0 in. (228 mm), adequately prestressed, can
meet most of the design requirements for heavy truck traffic corridors (up to TI of 18).
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State of California, Department of Transportation
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CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1
1.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Scope of Study .................................................................................................. 1
CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 3
2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 3
2.2 Concrete Pavement Design Process ................................................................ 7
2.3 Caltrans HDM Concrete Pavement Design Process ......................................... 8
2.4 Precast Concrete Pavement Design Considerations ........................................ 9
2.5 Summary ........................................................................................................... 9
CHAPTER 3 PROPOSED CALTRANS PRECAST CONCRETE PAVEMENT
DESIGN PROCESS ................................................................................ 11
3.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 11
3.2 Design Criteria for Jointed PCP Systems .......................................................... 11
3.3 Design Criteria for PPCP Systems .................................................................... 12
CHAPTER 4 DESIGN OF JOINTED PCP SYSTEMS ................................................. 16
4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 16
4.2 DARWin-ME Design Data ................................................................................. 16
4.3 DARWin-ME Analysis........................................................................................ 17
4.4 Adjustments to the MEPDG Procedure for Jointed PCP Systems .................... 19
4.5 Design Process for Jointed PCP Systems ........................................................ 20
4.6 Summary ........................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER 5 DESIGN OF PPCP SYSTEMS ............................................................... 22
5.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 22
5.2 Software Utility CalPPCP .................................................................................. 23
5.3 CalPPCP Module 1: Baseline JCP Thickness Design using HDM 620 ............. 24
5.4 CalPPCP Module 2: Required Effective Prestress Computation ...................... 24
5.4.1 Criteria 1: Stress Equivalency Criteria ................................................... 25
5.4.2 Criteria 2: Limiting Stress Criteria .......................................................... 25
5.4.3 Criteria 3: Minimum Effective Prestress ................................................ 26
5.5 CalPPCP Module 3: Prestressing System Design ............................................ 26
5.6 CalPPCP Module 4: Expansion Joint Movement Computation ......................... 31
5.7 Example Calculation of a PPCP Design............................................................ 32
5.7.1 Module 1 ................................................................................................ 32
5.7.2 Module 2 ................................................................................................ 32
5.7.3 Module 3 ................................................................................................ 34
5.7.4 Module 4: ............................................................................................... 35
5.8 Summary ........................................................................................................... 36
CHAPTER 6 ROUTES 710, 5 AND 405 APPLICATIONS ........................................... 37
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State of California, Department of Transportation
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CONTENTS-CONTINUED
Page
6.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 37
6.2 Design Data....................................................................................................... 37
6.2.1 As-designed PPCP Thickness ............................................................... 37
6.2.2 Climatic Region ..................................................................................... 37
6.2.3 Subgrade and Base Type ...................................................................... 37
6.2.4 Edge Condition: ..................................................................................... 37
6.2.5 Posttensioned Section Lengths: ............................................................ 37
6.2.6 Traffic Data: ........................................................................................... 37
6.2.7 Prestress system Design ....................................................................... 38
6.2.8 PCP Concrete Strength: ........................................................................ 38
6.2.9 Other Data: ............................................................................................ 39
6.2.10 Approach Used: ..................................................................................... 39
6.3 DARWin-ME Analysis - Cast-in-Place JCP Design ........................................... 39
6.4 DARWin-ME Analysis - Jointed PCP Design .................................................... 40
6.5 PPCP Design using CalPPCP........................................................................... 41
6.6 Evaluation of Service Life of As-Designed PPCP ............................................. 44
CHAPTER 7 CONSIDERATION OF PCP DESIGN FEATURES ................................. 46
7.1 Introduction........................................................................................................ 46
7.2 Joint Load Transfer Details for Jointed PCP ..................................................... 46
7.2.1 Evaluation and Acceptance of New Load Transfer Systems ................. 48
7.3 Prestressing Details .......................................................................................... 48
7.4 Transverse Prestressing ................................................................................... 49
7.5 Posttensioned Section Length Selection and Limitations.................................. 49
7.6 Minimum Effective Long-term Prestress .......................................................... 50
7.7 Minimum PPCP Panel Thickness Requirement ................................................ 50
7.8 Panel Support Requirements ............................................................................ 50
7.9 Non-planar Panel Use ....................................................................................... 52
CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................... 53
8.1 Summary ........................................................................................................... 53
8.2 Recommendations ............................................................................................ 53
CHAPTER 9 REFERENCES ....................................................................................... 55
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State of California, Department of Transportation
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TABLES
Page
2.1 Recommended Design Criteria for Jointed PCP Systems (R = 90%) ..................... 12
4.1 Comparison of the HDM Catalog Designs and DARWin-ME Designs .................... 17
5.1 Applied End Prestress Levels. ................................................................................ 27
5.2 Prestress losses and effective prestress levels ...................................................... 30
5.3 ILSL2 Input Data ..................................................................................................... 33
5.4 Required Design Effective Prestress, EPdesign ..................................................... 34
5.5 Prestressing Data .................................................................................................... 34
5.6 Long-Term Available Effective Prestress at Midsection .......................................... 35
6.1 Traffic Data for the Route 710, 5 and 405 Projects ................................................. 38
6.2 End and Midsection Effective Prestress for Route 710 PPCP Sections (For Panel
Thickness = 11.0 in. [279 mm]) ............................................................................... 39
6.3 CIP JCP Thickness Requirements for the Route 710, 5 and 405 Projects in the Los
Angeles Area ........................................................................................................... 40
6.4 Jointed PCP Thickness Requirements for the Route 710, 5 and 405 Projects in the Los
Angeles Area ........................................................................................................... 41
6.5 Midsection Effective Prestress Requirement for the Route 710, 5 and 405 Projects in
the Los Angeles Area .............................................................................................. 42
6.6 Midsection Available Prestress ............................................................................... 42
6.7 Expected Service Life for the As-Designed PPCP Projects .................................... 44
FIGURES
Page
2.1 Concrete Pavement truck Loading Conditions ........................................................ 5
3.1 Proposed PPCP Design Flow Chart ....................................................................... 15
5.1 Design Axle Load Locations for Use with Program ILSL2....................................... 25
5.2 Long-Term End Concrete Prestress for PPCP Section Length of 75 ft (23 m). ..... 28
5.3 Long-Term End Concrete Prestress for PPCP Section Length of 150 ft (45 m). ... 29
5.4 Long-Term End Concrete Prestress for PPCP Section Length of 250 f (76 m)t. ... 29
5.5 Edge Stresses for Baseline Design and Various PPCP Panel Thicknesses........... 33
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A DARWIN-ME BASELINE DESIGN INPUT DATA
APPENDIX B PRESTRESS LOSS COMPUTATION
APPENDIX C EXPANSION JOINT WIDTH MOVEMENT COMPUTATION
APPENDIX D CALPPCP USER GUIDE
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Precast concrete pavement (PCP) technology is of recent origin. The production use of the
PCP technology began in earnest during 2001. The PCP systems are used in highway
corridors with high volume of traffic and where lane closures are a challenge. Over the last 10
years, several US highway agencies, including California DOT (Caltrans), Illinois Tollway, New
Jersey DOT, New York State DOT, and Utah DOT, have implemented the PCP technology and
a few other agencies have constructed demonstration projects. The implemented PCP systems
include proprietary as well as non-proprietary systems. Because the production use of PCP
technology in the US is of recent origin and the information on PCP practices and performance
is not well documented, the PCP design processes are not yet fully developed.
The following PCP applications have been implemented by Caltrans at several rehabilitation
projects:
1. Intermittent repairs - for full-depth repairs or full slab replacement, generally used on
jointed concrete pavements
2. Continuous applications - for longer length or larger area pavement rehabilitation.
Two PCP types have been used for this application.
a. Jointed precast concrete pavement (JPrCP) - these pavements perform similar to
conventional cast-in-place jointed concrete pavements.
b. Precast prestressed concrete pavements (PPCP) - A number of precast panels,
typically 10 ft (3 m) or more in length, are connected together by post-tensioning.
This approach results in fewer active joints - at a spacing of about every 100 to
300 ft (30 to 90 m). The prestressing also allows use of thinner panels compared
to the jointed precast concrete pavement systems. These systems are also
referred to as posttensioned precast concrete pavement systems.
The California PCP projects to date have been designed using a "best practice" approach that
considers feedback from the HDM Topic 620, recommendations from pavement designers, and
constraints related to existing pavement thickness. However, in order to ensure that future PCP
systems are optimally designed and alternate PCP systems can be evaluated objectively,
Caltrans is seeking a rational PCP design procedure that allows evaluation of expected
performance of the various PCP systems that may be considered in future.
This report, prepared by Fugro Consultants, Inc. (FUGRO), provides a proposed approach to
develop the designs for JPrCP systems and PPCP systems. The report also includes the
application of the proposed approach to various sections of Routes 710, 5, and 405 that are
being rehabilitated using the PPCP system.
1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of the study includes the development of a PCP pavement design methodology for
use by Caltrans that will allow for optimization of key design features for both jointed and
posttensioned PCP systems. These design features include the following:
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CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The design of PCP is based on the assumption that, once constructed (installed), the overall
behavior of the PCP under traffic loading and environmental loading is not significantly different
than that of a like cast-in-place concrete pavement. Thus, a jointed PCP is expected to behave
similar to a cast-in-place (CIP) jointed concrete pavement (JCP) and a PPCP is expected to
behave similar to a cast-in-place prestressed concrete pavement. However, the performance of
the PCP systems is expected to be better than like cast-in-place concrete pavements because
of better quality of concrete used, better control of panel fabrication process and better
installation/construction practices.
Concrete pavements are typically designed, constructed, and rehabilitated to provide long-life
performance. The U.S. definition for long-life concrete pavements is as follows:
Original concrete service life of 40+ years;
Pavement will not exhibit premature failures and materials related distress;
Pavement will have reduced potential for cracking, faulting and spalling; and
Pavement will maintain desirable ride and surface texture characteristics with
minimal intervention activities to correct for ride and texture, for joint resealing, and
minor repairs.
Although PCPs are of recent use and in-service performance information of the oldest U.S.
projects is available for about 10 years, PCPs can be designed to provide long-term service. In
fact, the warrant for use of PCPs is rapid repair and rehabilitation with recognition of the need
for long-term service. The off-site fabrication of PCPs provides certain design-related
advantages that include:
1. Design strength of concrete from Day 1 of installation, thereby assuring no structural
damage due to early traffic loading;
2. No early-age concrete curling and warping issues;
3. No built-in curling to account for since precast concrete panels are typically
fabricated flat and remain flat during storage and installation;
4. Precast panels incorporate substantial reinforcement. As a result, any cracks that
may develop under traffic loading remain tightly closed and do not deteriorate with
time; and
5. The faulting that may develop in PPCP is less critical than faulting in jointed concrete
pavements. This is because the PPCP expansion joint spacing may range from
about 150 to about 300 feet. The joint spacing for cast-in-place JCP is typically
about 15 feet. In addition, PPCP is constructed on good quality stiff bases that
results in lower joint deflections under traffic loading and less risk of joint-related
distress.
For any pavement system, the structural requirements are defined on the basis of anticipated
structural distress (failures) under traffic for a given environmental condition. Typical distresses
that can develop in CIP JCP include the following:
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1. Cracking - transverse cracking may develop over a period of time due to repeated
truck loadings. Cracking is typically referred to as a stress-based distress.
2. Joint Faulting - may develop with or without outward signs of pumping. Faulting is
typically referred to as a deflection-based distress. Joint faulting is significantly
affected by the type of load transfer provided at transverse joints, base type, and
drainage needs.
3. Spalling - may develop along joints or cracks and may develop due to
incompressible in joints or cracks and/or poor quality concrete.
4. Materials Related Distress - the more significant materials related distress may
include alkali-silica reactivity and D-cracking in a freezing environment. These
distresses are mitigated by using the right materials for concrete.
5. Roughness - pavement roughness (or smoothness) is affected by the initial as-
constructed smoothness and development over time of various distresses in the
concrete pavement. The effect of each distress type is additive and results in
increased pavement roughness over a period of time.
The truck loading conditions to be considered for jointed concrete pavements (CIP or precast)
and PPCP systems are shown in Figure 2.1. The critical truck axle positions in Figure 2.1a are
for stresses that result in top-down cracking and in bottom-up cracking in conventionally jointed
concrete pavements. These loading conditions are applicable for 12 ft (3.7 m) wide lanes,
widened lanes, and for lanes with a tied concrete shoulder. The critical truck axle positions for
longer length PPCP segments are shown in Figure 2.1b. As shown, the critical stresses can
develop for bottom-up cracking and for top-down cracking for single lane applications. When
the PPCP panels are multiple lanes in width, as shown in Figure 2.1b, the loading condition is
always an interior loading condition. This is the most efficient design for the PPCP.
a. Truck Axle Loading for Critical Slab Stresses for Cast-in-Place Jointed Concrete Pavement and
Precast Jointed Concrete Pavement
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b. Truck Axle Loading for Critical Slab Stresses for Precast Prestressed Concrete Pavement
- Single Lane Panels and Multiple Lanes Panels
Distress development over the service life of all pavements is expected; however, the rate of
distress development is managed by incorporating sound designs, durable paving materials,
quality construction practices, and timely preservation activities. In short, structural distress
development should take place in accordance with design expectations, but not prematurely.
In order to understand the structural requirements for PCP, it is necessary to understand the
loading that a concrete pavement may be subjected to. Pavements are designed on the basis
of truck traffic. Without truck traffic, pavements would only exhibit materials related distress.
For new concrete pavement systems, the following loading related items need to be considered:
1. Design Traffic. Most new concrete pavements are now being designed for an initial
service life of at least 40 years. Assume a roadway carries 50,000 vehicles per day
in one direction and the trucks account for 20 percent of the vehicles. The design
lane will carry over 100,000,000 trucks over 40 years, without accounting for traffic
growth. Most new primary highway system pavements in the U.S. are now routinely
being designed for truck traffic in the range of 100 to 200 million trucks over the
pavement's design period. When precast pavement systems are used for such
applications, the precast pavement components need to be designed to
accommodate high levels of traffic loading. The allowable truck axle loads range
from 20,000 lb (9,070 kg) for the single axle, 36,000 lb (16,330 kg) for the tandem
axle, to 45,000 lb (20410 kg) for the tridem axle. The stresses and deflections in the
concrete slab (panel) resulting from the traffic loadings are accounted for in
traditional mechanistic-based design procedures, such as the new AASHTO
Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG).
2. Load Transfer at Joints. When fully effective, a doweled transverse joint will have
load transfer effectiveness (LTE) of 90 to 95 percent, as constructed. Over a period
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of time, as a result of traffic loading, the LTE will decrease. For conventional jointed
concrete pavements, an LTE of about 65 to 70 percent is considered the limit at
which some load transfer restoration treatment may need to be provided. The load
carried (transferred) by a dowel bar at a joint may range from about 3,000 lb (1,360
kg) ( for the outermost dowel bar with the axle load positioned along the lane edge to
about 1,200 lb (544 kg) with the axle load positioned about 2 ft (0.6 m) away from the
lane edge. On the primary highway system, these loads are expected to be carried
by the dowel bars in excess of 100,000,000 times, assuming most trucks drive along
the lane edge.
3. Temperature Related Curling. Temperature variations with depth in the concrete
panel induce curling restraint stresses. These stresses vary throughout the day as a
function of the concrete temperature distribution with depth and from day to day and
can be very high and are accounted for in traditional mechanistic-based design
procedures, such as the AASHTO MEPDG.
In summary, the design of the various components of any new PCP system must take into
account the high volume of truck traffic expected to use the facility and the environmental
conditions. Design, material, and construction flaws cannot be tolerated under such high traffic
loadings. The above discussion is also applicable to intermittent precast repair applications.
The only difference is that the design truck traffic may be less for such applications if the repairs
are designed for a shorter service life.
As discussed previously, specific design procedures have not been developed for PCP
systems. Development of reliable pavement design procedures requires a sound understanding
of the pavement behavior and validation of the design concepts on the basis of field
performance. At this time, there are not sufficient PCP projects available with long service to
allow direct field validation. As a result, the design of PCP systems needs to be based on
current design procedures for conventional cast-in-place JCP, such as the recently developed
AASHTO MEPDG and the associated DARWin-ME software available from AASHTO.
As also discussed, the primary difference between conventionally constructed cast-in-place JCP
and PCP systems is the method of construction/installation. Once the PCP system has been
installed, the behavior of the system should not be significantly different than that of a cast-in-
place concrete pavement system. Some differences do exist and are listed below:
1. Less slab warping in the precast panels, if cured properly at the plant
2. Less variability in concrete strength for the precast panels
3. More precise embedment of dowel bars in precast pavements
4. A smoother bottom surface for PCP systems
5. JPCP panels have smooth vertical faces at the transverse joints and the installation
process can result in a gap of up to 0.5 inches at these joints. Therefore, aggregate
interlocking does not develop at these joints.
PPCP systems are typically thinner than JCP. This is a result of the effective prestress in the
prestressed pavement. The effective prestress at the mid-location of the post-tensioned
segment, typically 150 to 300 ft (45 to 76 m) between expansion joints, needs to be about 100
to 200 psi (690 kPa to 1.38 MPa). This is achieved by properly designing the prestress system
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for the anticipated slab/base interface condition and consideration of short-term and long-term
prestress losses. The effective prestress is additive to the concrete flexural strength and the
resulting effective flexural strength is used as the design concrete flexural strength. When using
PPCP systems, a caution must be exercised. Because these systems incorporate thinner
panels, the panel support (base and foundation) become critical. For heavy truck traffic, the
thinner PPCP systems require a non-erodible stabilized base to reduce slab deflections at the
expansion joints and along the panel edges (along the shoulder joint), especially for 12 ft (3.7
m) wide outside lane panels.
For repair applications, the precast pavement should be designed with the extended service life
of the existing pavement in mind. However, for most applications, the panel thickness will need
to match the existing slab thickness.
For new construction, the precast pavement should be designed to achieve a minimum design
life of 40 years in accordance to the current version of Caltran's HDM Topic 612 for long-life
concrete pavements.
2.2 CONCRETE PAVEMENT DESIGN PROCESS
The concrete pavement design process has evolved over the last one hundred years, beginning
with rudimentary design equations based on early road tests and simple analysis procedures.
Significant improvements were made in the design process based on the AASHO Road Test
and subsequent improvements to the so-called AASHTO Pavement Design Guide, the last
version for concrete pavements released in 1993. Up to this time, the AASHTO pavement
design procedures were primarily based on empirical data derived from the AASHO Road Test
and limited theoretically-based enhancements.
It should be noted that over the years other concrete pavement design procedures have been
developed, with a more widely of these procedures being the one developed by the Portland
Cement Association and released in 1984. This procedure is based on mechanistic analysis of
concrete pavements and relates slab stresses and joint deflections to cracking and faulting
development, respectively.
By mid-1990s, the existing AASHTO pavement design procedures were considered inadequate
to account for the significant increase in truck traffic over the nation's highway system and to
account for new paving materials. In addition, specific site conditions (specifically climatic) and
pavement features (joint spacing, lane width, joint load transfer, concrete properties, etc.) could
not be properly accounted for. As a result, a major study was initiated by NCHRP during mid-
1990s to develop a more rational pavement design procedure. This procedure, commonly,
referred to as the MEPDG, was released in July 2008 as an interim guide with companion
pavement design software. During 2011, the software was formally released by AASHTO as
DARWin-ME.
The MEPDG/DARWin-ME represents a major shift in how pavements are designed. The new
design process allows consideration of site specific features, traffic load spectra, climatic
features, and paving material properties to determine the edge stresses and joint deflections for
each axle loading and state of curling throughout a daily period. The computed stresses and
deflections are used to determine the damage to the concrete pavement resulting from the
combination of the axle loads and appropriate curling stresses. The computed damage is then
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used to determine the expected pavement distress over a period of time for a selected
pavement section. If the predicted levels for the distresses are acceptable, the pavement
section is considered acceptable. An iterative process is used to establish the most optimum
pavement section. Details of the MEPDG are given in "Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design
Guide: A Manual of Practice, July 2008, Interim Edition, published by AASHTO and technical
reports delivered as part of the NCHRP 1-47A study. The MEPDG has been calibrated using
national databases on pavement performance. The MEPDG, using the associated DARWin-ME
software, allows design computations for two types of concrete pavements as follows:
1. Jointed plain concrete pavements
2. Continuously reinforced concrete pavements.
With respect to jointed plain concrete pavement design, the following are the key attributes of
the MEPDG/DARWin-ME process:
1. Key design inputs
a. Concrete properties, specifically the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)
b. Bonding characteristic between the concrete slab and the base
c. Joint spacing
d. Load transfer (dowel bar) design
e. Built-in slab warping
2. Key design outputs (outcomes)
f. Slab cracking
g. Joint faulting
h. Roughness (Smoothness)
Currently, many highway agencies in the US, including Caltrans, are in the process of
implementing the MEPDG/DARWin-ME process by establishing agency-specific design inputs
and agency-specific calibration of the MEPDG. In addition, there is continuing effort to improve
many of the assumptions and models used to develop the MEPDG. Specifically for jointed plain
concrete pavements, these efforts include the following:
1. Improved characterization of the bonding between the concrete slab and the base
2. Revising the distress models to account for corrected concrete coefficient of thermal
expansion (CTE) values
3. More rational characterization of the built-in slab warping.
It should be noted that the MEPDG/DARWin-ME design process do not directly address the
design of PCP systems. However, as discussed later, the MEPDG/DARWin-ME can be used to
extrapolate designs for the jointed PCP systems. Based on discussions with Caltrans, the use of
the MEPDG/DARWin-ME was not considered applicable for extrapolating designs for PPCP
systems and a different design process was established to develop the structural design
process for PPCP systems.
2.3 CALTRANS HDM CONCRETE PAVEMENT DESIGN PROCESS
The Caltrans concrete pavement design process is based on Chapter 620: Rigid Pavement of
the HDM, dated May 2012 and applicable portions of Chapters 600 and 610 of the HDM. The
pavement designs are based on a catalog design approach as detailed in Topic 623 of the
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HDM. The designs are based on the rigid pavement properties listed in Table 622.1 in the HDM
and the performance factors listed in Table 622.2 in the HDM. The designs given in Topic 623
are specific to the climatic region (nine regions), subgrade type (Type I (SP) or II (CH)), and
lateral support. The catalog designs provide the concrete slab thickness for various
base/subbase combinations and traffic loading. The catalog designs incorporate the results of
pavement design analysis using the MEPDG software (version as of 2005), conducted by the
University of California at Davis (UCD) and reported in Technical Memorandum: UCPRC-TM-
2006-04: Sample Rigid Pavement Design Tables Based on Version 0.8 of the MEPDG, dated
June 2006.
As noted previously, the use of the MEPDG (and the DARWin-ME software) directly to develop
pavement designs is currently under evaluation by Caltrans.
2.4 PRECAST CONCRETE PAVEMENT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
The following categories of the continuous PCP systems have been used or may be used by
Caltrans:
1. Jointed Precast Concrete Pavement Systems
a. Nominally reinforced precast panel systems - These systems simulate
conventional CIP jointed plain concrete pavements, except that the panels
incorporate reinforcement and possibly higher strength concrete.
b. Individually prestressed panel systems - These systems are similar to the
nominally reinforced precast panels systems, except the panels are individually
prestressed (by pre-tensioning). This approach ensures that the desirable level
of effective prestress is available in each panel. Site conditions, such as the
panel-base friction, do not have an impact on the effective prestress in the
panels. Pre-tensioning is required in the pavement longitudinal directions only,
but may be used in the transverse direction to provide a more structurally
efficient panel. Use of pre-tensioning allows the use of thinner panels with higher
structural capacity to fit within an existing pavement profile, especially when
single lanes are being rehabilitated.
2. Precast Prestressed Concrete Pavement Systems
a. Continuously prestressed systems (based on the FHWA-University of Texas
developed PPCP system) - This system simulates conventional CIP prestressed
concrete pavements and uses posttensioning to connect and prestress a number
of reinforced or prestressed (pre-tensioned) panels to form a single-slab section.
b. Individual panels may be pretensioned to facilitate panel handling and shipping
for long or wide panels. Pre-tensioning is typically used in the panel's long
direction, but may be used in the other direction to provide a more structurally
efficient panel. Use of pre-tensioning allows the use of thinner panels with higher
structural capacity.
2.5 SUMMARY
The structural requirements for continuous applications of precast pavements focus on reducing
both cracking and joint faulting. Cracking is a stress-based distress and joint faulting is a
deflection-based distress. Long-term performance necessitates that concrete slab (panel)
stresses and slab (panel) deflections be kept as low as possible to accommodate the millions of
truck loadings over the expected 40-plus years of service life.
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For continuous applications, long-life performance is expected and needs to be designed for.
Therefore, it is essential that PCP systems used in continuous applications be able to meet the
requirements for long life.
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design criteria recommended by FUGRO for jointed PCPs for long-life service is given in Table
2.1.
Table 2.1. Recommended Design Criteria for Jointed PCP Systems (R = 90%)
Distress Value
Structural Distress
Cracked Slabs, % (based on Caltrans
recommendations) 10% (Note 1)
Faulting, in. 0.10
Spalling (length, severity) Minimal
Materials Related Distress None
Functional Distress
Smoothness (IRI), in./mile 160
Surface Texture - Friction Long lasting, FN > 35
No criteria available, but surface should
Surface Texture - Noise produce accepted level of pavement-tire
noise
It should be noted that although Caltrans has designated 10% for the Cracked Slabs criteria, it
is Fugro's recommendation that the cracking level acceptable can be as much as 20%, as any
cracking that develops in the precast panels is expected to remain tight because of the high
level of reinforcement used.
As discussed, the proposed jointed PCP design process is based on pavement analysis and
design based on DARWin-ME. The DARWin-ME process accounts for pavement damage
(based on stress and deflection computation) for each combination of axle load and curling
while considering the properties of the paving materials that may change over the analysis
period.
3.3 DESIGN CRITERIA FOR PPCP SYSTEMS
For the PPCP system, the following long-term failure manifestations can result:
1. Structural distress
a. Joint faulting.
b. Cracking.
c. Expansion joint or joint hardware failure.
2. Functional distress
a. Poor ride quality (smoothness).
b. Poor surface texture (in terms of surface friction and tire-pavement noise).
However, because Caltrans has determined that the MEPDG type design process is not
considered applicable to the design of PPCP, the above listed performance criteria cannot be
considered directly for the design of a PPCP system. Instead, the design of a PPCP system is
based on developing a design that is equivalent to or better than the baseline conventional
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jointed concrete pavement design. The design approach used is similar to the design approach
developed by the University of Texas for the first PPCP project that was installed in Texas
during 2001 and subsequently applied to design of several PPCP demonstration projects
funded by the Federal Highway Administration and projects constructed by Caltrans. In this
approach, the PPCP design adequacy is based on consideration of flexural stresses that may
develop due to a design axle load (18,000 lb axle load) and design curling stresses that may
develop due to the temperature differential between the panel top surface and bottom surface.
Under this approach, no consideration is given to ensuring equivalency on the basis of
slab/panel deflections.
The proposed PPCP design process, as incorporated in the software utility CalPPCP, considers
the following three criteria:
1. Criterion 1 - Stress Equivalency Criteria: The effective prestress, EP1, for a PPCP
with thickness Ti is equal to the bottom edge tensile stress for the conventional
jointed concrete pavement thickness designed using the HDM catalog less the
bottom edge tensile stress for a PPCP with thickness Ti. This concept is illustrated as
follows:
EP1 = Seppcp - Sebaseline
Where:
EP1 = minimum effective prestress at the critical location for a PPCP with a panel
thickness of Ti (under Criterion 1)
Seppcp = bottom tensile stress due to design wheel/axle load for a PPCP with
thickness, Ti
Sebaseline = bottom tensile stress due to design wheel/axle load for the conventional
design
2. Criterion 2 - Limiting Stress Criteria: Fatigue failure is not allowed to develop at the
critical location (mid-point of the posttensioned section), after accounting for the
maximum load stresses, design curling stress and the effective prestress at the
midsection. This concept is illustrated as follows:
EP2 = Seppcp + Scurling - F/2 (2)
Where:
EP2 = minimum effective prestress at the critical location for a PPCP with a panel
thickness of Ti (under Criterion 2)
Scurling = design curling stress due to design temperature differential in the concrete
panel
F = design concrete flexural strength (flexural strength is divided by a safety factor of
2.0 to allow for a large number of the combined stress applications)
3. Criterion 3 - Minimum Effective Prestress Criteria: A minimum effective prestress
level, EP3, of 100 psi (690 kPa) at the midpoint of the posttensioned section is
recommended to ensure that intermediate transverse joints remain tight.
The required (design) minimum effective prestress, EPdesign, is the maximum value that satisfies
the above three criteria.
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It should be noted that the above approach, though simple in concept, does not account for
project specific axle load spectra and the diurnal changes in curling stress. However, some of
these factors are accounted for in the design of the conventional jointed concrete pavement
used for the equivalency comparison under Criterion 1.
The proposed PPCP design process is illustrated in Figure 3.1. As shown in Figure 3.1, the
PPCP design process includes four distinct and parallel steps, as follows:
Step 1: Determine the minimum (design) effective prestress, EPdesign, for a range of
PPCP panel thickness using the pavement structural design process based on the
modified University of Texas method.
Step 2: Conduct the prestressing system design for a range of posttensioned section
lengths, panel thickness, tendon spacing (and size, typically 0.6 in. (15
mm)diameter), prestress jacking force (typically 80% of the ultimate tendon strength),
and consideration of various prestress losses. The prestressing analysis should
result in the determination of the available effective prestress, EPavailable, for each
unique set of conditions considered.
Step 3: Select the panel thickness and the prestressing system details that represent
a cost-effective design. This step may require several iterations to ensure that the
panel thickness is compatible with the prestressing system selected and can
accommodate the prestressing and reinforcement hardware while providing the
necessary depth of cover at the panel top and at the panel bottom.
Step 4: Compute expansion joint width parameters.
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Inputs:
Baseline CIP Design Based on Section Length
HDM 620: Maximum Concrete
Inputs: Temperature during Summer
TI Minimum Concrete
Climate Region Temperature during Winter
Lane Width (Widened or Not) Temperature at Installation
No No
Is EP MEP?
Yes
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Table 4.1. Comparison of the HDM Catalog Designs and DARWin-ME Designs
Soil CH Soil SP
Climate CC Climate CC
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Soil CH Soil SP
Climate DE Climate DE
Soil CH Soil SP
Climate MO Climate MO
It is expected that when Caltrans implements DARWin-ME, the software will be calibrated based
on actual pavement performance of concrete pavements in California. Based on the preliminary
analysis of the HDM and DARWin-ME designs, it appears that future local calibration of
DARWin-ME may result in only minor thickness adjustments, from about in. (13 mm) to about
1 in. (25 mm)
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Based on the data presented in Table 1, it appears that DARWin-ME can be used to develop
CIP JCP designs and by adjusting the design inputs and performance criteria, the process can
be applied in the interim to the design of jointed PCP systems.
4.4 ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MEPDG PROCEDURE FOR JOINTED PCP SYSTEMS
As discussed, the structural design of the jointed PCP can be developed using the DARWin-ME
procedure. Although the MEPDG design procedures are primarily applicable to conventional
pavements, use of the MEPDG design procedure is recommended for the design of jointed PCP
systems, with modifications to the design criteria discussed previously and with specific
adjustments discussed in the following paragraphs.
The current version of the DARWin-ME software can be used to develop the jointed PCP
system designs after appropriate adjustments have been made in the design inputs to account
for unique features of jointed JPrCP systems.
For jointed PCPs, the following end-of-service distress criteria are recommended:
1. Initial service life - 40 years.
2. Cracking - 10% of panels cracked (Caltrans specified)
3. Faulting - 0.10 in. (3 mm) (Caltrans specified)
4. Smoothness (IRI) - Not considered
However, the cracking criterion can be adjusted if performance of in-place jointed PCP projects
indicate that any cracking that develops in the jointed PCPs remain tight because of the steel
reinforcement and do not require significant future maintenance. In that case the cracking
criteria can be adjusted to 20 to 25% cracking. This would result in need for slightly thinner
jointed PCPs when the cracking distress criterion governs.
It is assumed that as the pavement smoothness deteriorates with time, grinding will be
performed to restore smoothness and surface texture. Two cycles of grinding are assumed
over the 40-year design life. As a result, any design thickness that is determined should be
increased by 0.36 in. (9 mm) (to account for the two cycles of grinding, as currently
recommended by Caltrans for design of conventional jointed concrete pavements.
Additionally, the following adjustments need to be considered in the DARWin-ME design inputs:
1. Concrete Strength. The achieved concrete strength for precast panels is typically
higher, exceeding 700 psi, irrespective of the concrete strength specified. In
addition, if the panels are pretensioned, the effective concrete strength can be
increased by the level of prestress used. For the design analysis presented later, the
design flexural strength of 725 is used for the jointed PCP designs. The design
engineer may select any appropriate design flexural strength for a specific project as
approved by Caltrans.
2. Permanent curl/warp effective temperature difference (built-in curl). The default
value for conventional JCP is (-) 10 F. Since the PCP panels are fabricated in a
plant, there is very little, if any, built-in curl resulting from construction. However, it is
assumed that some built-in curl develops during service as a result surface drying of
the concrete panels. This feature will require additional review as more field data are
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collected on jointed PCP performance. For now, the use of the default value of (-) 10
F (5.5 oC) is recommended.
3. Ultimate concrete shrinkage. 50% of the ultimate value can be used as a large
portion of the concrete shrinkage takes place during storage. This is because most
precast panels are stored for several weeks or months before installation.
4. Contact friction time. This is the time over which full contact friction is assumed to
exist between the concrete slab (precast panel) and the underlying base layer. The
MEPDG recommends use of 136-month period over which full contact friction exists.
For jointed PCP, the contact friction is considered to be low as the bottom of the
precast panels is not expected to bond to the underlying layer because bedding
material is used over the existing base and the panel bottom surface is smooth. It
should be noted that panel undersealing is performed after panel installation, but is
not expected to significantly affect the panel-base interface condition for the jointed
PCP systems. This feature will require additional review in the future as more field
data are collected on jointed PCP performance and new information is developed on
the contact friction condition (as per a new NCHRP study to be initiated during 2012).
For now, the use of an unbonded panel-base interface condition is recommended.
4.5 DESIGN PROCESS FOR JOINTED PCP SYSTEMS
As discussed in Section 4.3, some variations do exist between the thicknesses of jointed
concrete pavements determined using HDM 620 and the MEPDG/DARWin-ME. As a result, the
direct use of the MEPDG/DARWin-ME for computing the thickness of a jointed PCP is not
recommended. The following procedure is recommended:
Step 1 - Using HDM 620, determine the baseline jointed concrete pavement design
thickness, TBaselineHDM, for the project specific design conditions
Step 2 - Using DARWin-ME, determine the required slab thickness, TBaselineMEPDG, for
the baseline jointed concrete pavement using the project specific design inputs
Step 3 - Using DARWin-ME, determine the required slab thickness, TJointedPCPMEPDG,
for the jointed PCP using the project specific design inputs
Step 4 - Determine the difference in the thicknesses, TDifference, required for the
baseline jointed concrete pavement, TBaselineMEPDG (Step 2) and that required for the
jointed PCP, TJointedPCPMEPDG (Step 3).
Step 5 - The design thickness, TjointedPCPDesign, for the jointed PCP is then determined
as: TjointedPCPDesign = TBaselineHDM - TDifference
This procedure for determining the design thickness of jointed PCP systems provides direct
compatibility with HDM 620 catalog designs while allowing for using jointed PCP specific design
inputs such as higher concrete strength for the precast panels and a different slab cracking
criteria for the jointed PCP panels that incorporate heavy reinforcement.
An example using this procedure is given next.
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Step 1
The following design conditions are assumed for the baseline jointed concrete pavement:
1. Climatic region - South coast
2. Subgrade - CH
3. Traffic Index - 17
4. Lateral support - Widened outside lane
The HDM 620 determined thickness, TBaselineHDM, for the above design conditions, is 12.5 in. (317
mm).
Step 2
Using the design inputs detailed in Appendix A and project specific site parameters, the
DARWin-ME determined thickness, TBaselineMEPDG, for the baseline JCP is 13.0 in. (330 m)
Step 3
Using the design inputs detailed in Appendix A, project specific site parameters, and accounting
for concrete flexural strength of 725 psi, the DARWin-ME determined thickness, TJointed PCPMEPDG,
for the jointed PCP is 11.0 in. (279 mm)
Step 4
The difference in the thicknesses required for the baseline jointed concrete pavement,
TBaselineMEPDG (Step 2) and that required for the jointed PCP, TJointedPCPMEPDG (Step 3) is
determined to be 2.0 in. (50 mm)
Step 5
The design thickness, TjointedPCPDesign, for the jointed PCP is then determined as follows:
TjointedPCPDesign = TBaselineHDM - TDifference = 12.5 - 2.0 = 10.5 in. (267 mm)
Thus, for the example considered, it is determined that a jointed PCP system that is less in
thickness by 2.0 in. (50 mm) will provide an equivalent long-term performance compared to a
conventional jointed concrete pavement.
4.6 SUMMARY
The proposed thickness design procedure for jointed PCP systems is based on use of the
DARWin-ME software to determine the difference in the thicknesses required for the baseline
jointed concrete pavement and that required for the jointed precast concrete pavement. This
thickness difference is then used to determine the design thickness for the jointed PCP for a
specific project site. This approach provides compatibility to the HDM design catalog design
thicknesses.
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are used per duct. The U.S. experience is based on the use of 0.6-in. (15 mm)
diameter, Grade 270 7-wire low-relaxation strands for highway applications for
posttensioning and use of 0.5-in. (13 mm) diameter, Grade 270 7-wire low-relaxation
strands for pre-tensioning.
6. Anchorage Bearing Stress. Anchorage devices transfer the tendon force, typically
80% of the minimum ultimate tensile strength (MUTS) of the tendon, to the
surrounding concrete. However, the anchorage system and the concrete bearing
stress should be based on 95% of the tendon MUTS. The highest stress on the
surrounding concrete occurs immediately at the time of prestressing and this stress
decreases over time. When more than one tendons are used per duct, the
anchorage bearing stress should be checked for and appropriate measures,
including local zone reinforcement, be designed for. The design of the local zone
reinforcing, as needed, is the responsibility of the precast panel fabricator and the
posttensioning contractor.
7. Prestress Losses. Prestress losses are an important consideration in
posttensioned precast pavements, as the strength of the pavement relies on the
effective prestress in the concrete from posttensioning. These losses due to
anchorage wedge seating, concrete shrinkage, concrete creep, and steel relaxation
must be accounted for to ensure that the required prestress level is maintained over
the length of the slab over the design life of the pavement. Long-term losses of 10%
to 15% of the applied prestress force can be expected at the joint face for a well-
constructed PPCP. A minimum effective prestress level of 100 psi is recommended
at the posttensioned section's midpoint to ensure intermediate joints remain tight.
8. Intermediate Joints. Attention also needs to be paid to the joints between adjacent
panels in each posttensioned section. The prestressing (posttensioning) keeps
these intermediate joints tightly closed. The standard method for the design of the
intermediate joints uses a conventional keyway system. The panel on one side of
the joint has the keyway tongue and the panel on the other side has the keyway
groove. A modified version of the keyway with grooves along both joint faces has
also been used. The use of the keyway, a coating of epoxy, and the prestressing
(posttensioning) ensures a tight and almost monolithic connection at intermediate
joints. As a result, there is no need to provide additional load transfer at these joints
and these joints do not need to be accounted for in the structural design of the PPCP
systems.
It should be noted that if there is a failure to attain the minimum level of prestress in the middle
portion of the posttensioned section, the affected adjacent intermediate joints may not remain
connected under truck traffic loading and this may result in higher deflections at these
intermediate joints and cause joint spalling. The failure to attain the minimum level of prestress
in the middle portion will also have other consequences, such as panel cracking and settlement
at the affected intermediate joints.
5.2 SOFTWARE UTILITY CALPPCP
The design of the PPCP systems is based on the approach discussed in the previous section
and illustrated in Figure 3.1. A software utility, based on Microsoft EXCEL and the finite
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element program ILSL2, has been developed for use by Caltrans. The software utility, referred
to as CalPPCP, has the following four modules:
1. Module 1: Baseline JCP thickness design using HDM 620
2. Module 2: Required effective prestress computation
3. Module 3: Prestressing system design
4. Module 4: Expansion joint movement computation
Details related to CalPPCP are given in Appendix D and are also embedded within the software.
5.3 CALPPCP MODULE 1: BASELINE JCP THICKNESS DESIGN USING HDM 620
Module 1 generates a baseline thickness design for a jointed concrete pavement based on the
project specific traffic and site conditions. A database incorporating the HDM 620 catalog
design tables is embedded in CalPPCP utility. Similar to the catalog tables, Module 1 requires
the following input from pull-down lists:
1. Climatic region (one of 8) regions
2. Subgrade (Type I or type II)
3. Traffic Index (from 9 to 18)
4. Lateral support (widened outside lane or tied concrete shoulder) (Yes or No)
The module provides the following output for a jointed concrete pavement for the design
features selected:
1. Concrete slab thickness (rounded to nearest 0.5 in. (13 mm))
2. Base thickness
3. Subbase thickness
The concrete slab thickness is the baseline thickness to be used for the design of a PPCP that
would provide performance equivalent the baseline jointed concrete pavement.
5.4 CALPPCP MODULE 2: REQUIRED EFFECTIVE PRESTRESS COMPUTATION
Module 2 determines the effective midsection prestress needed to for a range of PPCP panel
thickness that would result in the PPCP providing an equal structural performance compared to
the baseline jointed concrete pavement. The performance equivalency is based on the
assumption that if the stresses in the two systems (baseline jointed concrete pavement and the
PPCP) are similar, the structural performance will be similar. As such, it is assumed that the
cracking distress development over the design life will be similar for the two systems. The
faulting distress development at expansion joints in the PPCP is not considered to be critical
because of the fewer expansion joints used and the use of stabilized base.
The slab stress equivalency is based on comparing midslab (midpanel) edge stress using
Program ILSL2. The edge stresses are determined for the following conditions:
1. Standard axle load - 18,000 lb. (8,160 kg)
2. Axle load location - The axle load can be positioned at the slab/panel edge or away
from the edge, typically about 2 ft (0.6 m) away from the edge if a widened lane is
used.
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Figure 5.1 - Design Axle Load Locations for Use with Program ILSL2
The PPCP thickness determination is based on the following three criteria discussed previously:
5.4.1 Criteria 1: Stress Equivalency Criteria
The edge stress due to the design axle load of 18,000 lb (8,160 kg) is determined using
Program ILSL2 for the following conditions:
1. Baseline jointed concrete pavement, as determined in Module 1
2. PPCP with various slab thickness (6 to 12 in. (150 to 300 mm))
The effective midsection prestress, EP1, needed to satisfy Criteria 1 is determined as follows:
EP1 = Seppcp - Sebaseline
Where:
EP1 = minimum effective prestress for a PPCP with a panel thickness of Ti
Seppcp = bottom tensile stress due to design wheel/axle load for a PPCP with panel
thickness, Ti
Sebaseline = bottom tensile stress due to design wheel/axle load for the conventional
design
5.4.2 Criteria 2: Limiting Stress Criteria
This criterion is used to ensure that the combined edge stresses due to the design axle load and
due the temperature variation in the slab (panel) are reasonable and that a large number of this
combined stress level can be applied without resulting in panel cracking. The restraint stresses
due to the temperature variation in the slab (panel) are referred to as curling stresses.
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Use of this criterion requires establishment of the design temperature differential, dT, between
the top and the bottom of the PPCP panels. The temperature differential is assumed to be
constant for the range of PPCP thicknesses considered. The combined stresses are
determined using ILSL2. The reasonableness of the combined stress is determined as follows:
Seppcp + Scurling < F/2 + EP2
Where:
EP2 = minimum effective prestress at the critical location
Seppcp = bottom tensile stress due to design wheel/axle load for a PPCP with panel
thickness, Ti
Scurling = design curling stress due to design temperature differential in the concrete panel
F = design concrete flexural strength (flexural strength is divided by a safety factor of 2.0
to allow for a large number of the combined stress applications)
The above formulation can be re-arranged as follows to determine the effective prestress
needed to satisfy the combined load and curling stress criterion:
EP2 > Seppcp + Scurling - F/2
It should be noted that design temperature differential in the concrete panel is a critical
parameter. Use of a maximum temperature differential, which can be greater than 30 oF (16.6
o
C), is not recommended as this level of temperature differential exists only for few minutes
each day. Using a maximum temperature differential would result in very high curling stress
and a disproportionate requirement for the effective prestress at the midsection of the
posttensioned section. As a result, a design temperature differential value is used. Until
additional data are available to establish site specific concrete temperature differential values,
the use of 10 oF (5.5 oC) is recommended.
5.4.3 Criteria 3: Minimum Effective Prestress
It is necessary to ensure that there is a minimum level effective prestress at the midpoint of the
posttensioned section to ensure that the intermediate joints will remain tight. The recommended
minimum effective prestress, EP3, used in CalPPCP is 100 psi (690 kPa).
Design Effective Prestress Level
The design effective prestress level at the midsection, EPdesign, is the maximum of EP1, EP2,
and EP3.
CalPPCP Module 2 computes EP1 and EP2 and determines the EPdesign value.
5.5 CALPPCP MODULE 3: PRESTRESSING SYSTEM DESIGN
This module establishes the prestressing system requirements. The key primary inputs are:
1. Posttensioning section length
2. Tendon size and spacing
3. Panel thickness (a range of panel thickness considered)
For a given set of the primary inputs listed above, Module 3 determines the short-term and long-
term prestress losses in the tendons and also the panel/base friction related loss, and computes
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the long-term effective prestress at the midpoint of the posttensioned section length. The
prestress losses in the tendons computed, as detailed in Appendix B, are due to the following:
1. Concrete shrinkage and creep
2. Steel relaxation
3. Anchorage wedge seating
4. Panel/base friction
The tendon force of 80% of the MUTS is used in the computations.
The steps used in Module 3 to design the prestressing system are illustrated below.
1. Design the prestressing system
a. Tendon size - typically, 0.6 in. (15 mm) 7-wire tendons used.
b. Tendon force - 80% of the ultimate load (46,872 lbf (208 kN)).
c. Tendon spacing - to be determined (12 to 36 in. (300 to 900 mm) - depending on
the posttensioned length (typically 150 to 250 ft (45 to 76 m)) and number of
tendons per duct.
2. Assume the posttensioned section length and tendon spacing.
3. Determine end prestress that can be applied. The applied end prestress level for a
range of tendon spacing and panel thickness is illustrated in Table 5.1.
in. 18 24 30 36
8 326 244 195 163
9 289 217 174 145
10 260 195 156 130
11 237 178 142 118
12 217 163 130 109
Note: Tendon jacking force: 46,872 lbf (208 kN)
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It should be noted that the tendon friction (wobble) coefficient is based on reasonably tangent
posttensioned section. If the posttensioned section incorporates a curvature, a higher value for
the tendon wobble coefficient may need to be established.
The PPCP design is finalized and optimized using the results from Module 2 (needed effective
prestress level) and Module 3 (available effective prestress level). The PPCP panel thickness
and the prestressing system details are selected to provide a cost-effective PPCP design.
5.6 CALPPCP MODULE 4: EXPANSION JOINT MOVEMENT COMPUTATION
Module 4 computes the expansion joint movement. The primary key variable considered are:
1. Maximum concrete temperature (summer month)
2. Minimum concrete temperature (winter month)
3. Concrete temperature at time of installation
4. Minimum allowable expansion joint width (typically, 0.50 in. (13 mm))
This module computes temperature associated and concrete shrinkage and creep related
changes to the joint width. The computation process is detailed in Appendix C. The outputs of
this module are as follows:
1. Maximum joint width
2. Joint width to be set at time of installation
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800
Zero T Differential
700
10 degF Differential
Bottom Tensile Stress (psi)
600
Baseline CIP Stress
500
400
300
200
100
0
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Thickness (in.)
Figure 5.5. Edge Stresses for Baseline Design and Various PPCP Panel Thicknesses
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5.7.3 Module 3
The prestressing system is designed in Module 3 using the inputs given in Table 5.5 for a 0.6 in.
(15 mm) diameter tendon. Module 3 determines the short-term and long-term prestress losses,
including the panel/base friction related loss, and computes the long-term effective prestress at
the midpoint of the posttensioned section length.
For the key parameters listed above and the Coefficient of panel/base interface friction of 0.60,
the following prestress losses at a tendon are computed for a posttensioned section length of
250 ft (76 m), as detailed in Appendix B:
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It is seen by comparing Tables 5.4 and 5.6, a minimum PPCP panel thickness of 8.0 in. would
be an acceptable solution for this project.
5.7.4 Module 4:
The expansion joint movements are determined using the following key design inputs:
1. Maximum concrete temperature (summer month) - 90 oF (32 oC)
2. Minimum concrete temperature (winter month) - 30 oF (-1.1 oC)
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Table 6.1. Traffic Data for the Route 710, 5 and 405 Projects
ESAL,
Project Section From To TI TI (Rounded)
million
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Table 6.2. End and Midsection Effective Prestress for Route 710 PPCP Sections
(For Panel Thickness = 11.0 in. [279 mm])
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The midsection effective prestress available for a range of PPCP slab thickness are
summarized in Tables 6.6 as determined by the software utility, CalPPCP.
6 396 318
7 340 262
8 297 219
9 264 186
10 238 160
11 216 138
12 198 120
6 297 219
7 255 177
8 223 145
9 198 120
10 178 100
11 162 84
12 149 70
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The data presented in Tables 6.5 and 6.6 indicate the following:
1. A minimum PPCP panel thickness of 6 in. is sufficient for the Route 710 project for a
TI of 18. The as-designed PPCP panel thickness for the Route 710 project is 11.0
in. (279 mm).
2. For the route 405 project, for a TI of 15, it is seen that the as-designed PPCP panel
thickness of 8.0 in. (200 mm) is adequate. The required effective prestress is 113
psi (779 kPa) for TI of 15 and the available effective prestress is 145 psi (1.0 MPa).
The prestressing design details given in Table 6.6 (a) indicate that a posttensioned length up to
250 ft (76 m) can be used with ducts spaced at 36 in. (0.9 m) and using two 0.6 in. (15 mm)
diameter tendons per duct. This prestressing design provides a midsection effective prestress
level of 219 psi (1.51 MPa) and meets the need for an 8 in. (200 mm) slab thickness for all
traffic levels, as per data presented in Table 6.5. A minimum 9 in. (228 mm) thickness is
recommended for traffic levels in excess of 100 million ESALs to accommodate the prestressing
hardware and reinforcement and to mitigate potential deflection related distress at expansion
joints.
The posttensioned PCP design data discussed above are based on a design life of 40 years. It
can thus be extrapolated that PPCP with panel thickness in excess of 8 in. (200 mm) at the
Route 710 project will provide an even longer service life.
It should be emphasized that the joint deflection based faulting criteria has not been considered
in the design of PPCP systems. It is recommended that Caltrans establish policies for minimum
posttensioned PCP thickness that account for mitigation of joint faulting distress and possible
construction-related shortcomings at the expansion joints. For example, a policy decision could
be a minimum thickness of 8 in. for ESAL loading up to 100 million, a minimum thickness of 9 in.
(228 mm) for ESAL loading between 100 and 150 million, and a minimum thickness of 10 in.
(254 mm) for ESAL loading in excess of 150 million.
Additionally, Caltrans will need to establish the values of several design parameters by policy or
based on research studies. Some of the key data items that need further refinement include the
following:
1. The slab (panel)-base friction. This report used a coefficient of slab-base friction
value of 0.6 to illustrate the application of the PPCP design approach. The
pavement designer may choose a value between 0.6 and 1.0. A higher value of the
coefficient will result in an increase in the panel thickness requirement, and/or a limit
on the length of the posttensioned section length, and/or a change in the design of
the prestressing system (decrease in tendon spacing).
2. Design concrete panel temperature differential between top and bottom of the panel.
3. Another variable that is not clearly defined at this time is the effect of non-planar slab
geometry on the prestress loss due to friction between the duct and the tendon. This
aspect will need testing at a test section or at a project site to determine if the non-
planar geometry has any significant impact on prestress loss.
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Table 6.7. Expected Service Life for the As-Designed PPCP Projects
* Assumption: 2 tendons per duct for Route 710 and 1 tendon per duct for Route 405.
**For Route 710, section length varies from approx. 150 ft (45 m) to approx. 250 ft (76 m). Section
length of 250 ft (76 m) was used as it is more critical.
For Route 405, no data is available on section length and 250 ft (76 m) was used for PPCP life
estimation.
+Based on CalPPCP
++ CIP data based on HDM 620 and JPrCP
data based on DARWin-ME
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As shown in Table 6.7, the equivalent slab thickness for a CIP concrete pavement to
accommodate the service life of TI = 18 at the Route 710 project would need to be 3.0 in. (76
mm) greater than the as-designed PPCP thickness and would need to be 6.0 in. (150 mm)
greater for the Route 405 project.
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4 to 5 dowels per wheel-path, spaced at 12 in. (300 mm), are considered adequate
for both intermittent as well as continuous applications
The load transfer, using dowel bars, is provided for using the following techniques:
1. The Fort Miller Company's Super-Slab system incorporates the slot at the slab
bottom, requiring use of a flowable grout and the need to fill the space along the
periphery of the joints on four sides. An advantage of this system is that the panels
can be placed during one lane closure and the slots can be grouted during the next
lane closure. The PCP section can be opened to traffic before the slot grouting is
performed without concern about having open slots at the surface.
2. The Michigan method and other generic systems typically incorporate the dowel slots
at the surface of the adjacent existing pavement and or the panel. This approach is
based on the DBR technique. The options under this technique include the
following:
a. Full DBR - Dowel slots along both sides of the joint.
i. For repair applications, conventional DBR type dowel slots are cut along both
sides of the joint after the panel has been placed.
ii. For continuous applications, dowel slots are located in the panels at both
sides of the joint when using the narrow-mouth surface slots. Conventional
DBR type dowel slots may be used, but these slots require patching during
the same lane closure as the panel installation if the slots are fabricated in
the panels.
b. Partial DBR - Dowel slot along one side of the joint.
i. For repair applications:
1. Dowel slots are located in the existing concrete pavement side of the joint
and the panel will have embedded dowels along both sides of the panel.
2. Dowel slots are located in the panel side of the joint when using the
narrow-mouth surface slots. Dowel holes are drilled in the existing
pavement side of the transverse joints and dowel bars epoxied in the
holes.
ii. For continuous applications, a panel will have embedded dowel bars
along one side of the panel and matching surface dowel slots (narrow-
mouth or conventional) along the other side of the panel.
A possible disadvantage of the surface slot panel system is that the conventional wider-mouth
slots cannot be left exposed under traffic. The options available to overcome this disadvantage
include the following:
c. If slots are part of the fabricated panels or sawed into the existing pavement at
the time of panel installation, the slots need to be patched with rapid-setting
patching material during the panel installation lane closure.
d. If the slots are not part of the fabricated panels, the slots can be sawed during
the next lane closure and patched before opening to traffic.
e. Use of a narrow-mouth slot at the surface. The narrow-slot mouth allows the
panels to be placed during a given lane closure and opened to traffic without any
risk to traffic operations. The slots are then patched during the next lane closure.
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3. Other retrofitted load-transfer systems that have been investigated for use with CIP-
PCP are not recommended for PCP applications at this time. Such devices are
based on post-installation coring at the joint or use of pre-formed, semi-cylindrical
spaces along the joints and installing a circular Double-Vee type shear load-transfer
device. Such an approach can minimize issues related to dowel misalignment.
However, some of these systems may be too rigid and may not be applicable to
connecting more than a few slabs.
4. Other load-transfer systems under investigation include systems that incorporate
plate dowels. However, to date there have been no reported production installations
of such devices as part of jointed PCP systems.
For PPCP expansion joints, the joint load-transfer system is incorporated in the expansion joint
panels or the gap panels. Use is made of round dowel bars spaced at 12 in. (300 mm)
7.2.1 Evaluation and Acceptance of New Load Transfer Systems
It is very likely that in the near future, vendors may propose use of newly developed load
transfer systems. These systems may feature new load transfer devices (new shape/size), new
spacing, and new method of installation. It is recommended that such systems be first
evaluated at a test section and/or at an accelerated pavement test (APT) facility and installed on
a trial basis if the test section and the APT testing indicate promise. The test section and the
APT should evaluate the load transfer effectiveness (LTE) of the load transfer system. A
minimum LTE of 80% at the outside wheel-path should be expected for a test section
constructed over a stiff foundation incorporating a lean concrete base.
For PPCP systems, the large joint width has a significant influence on the measured LTE
values. With that consideration, for the purpose of PCP system approval that incorporates the
approval of a specific joint-load transfer system, the joint deflection criterion for PPCP systems
can be based on the LTE value not to be less than 70 %.
7.3 PRESTRESSING DETAILS
The first few PPCP projects were designed using a single tendon per duct for longitudinal
posttensioning. Several recent projects have incorporated two tendons per duct with the ducts
spaced further apart. The use of two tendons allows for fabrication as well installation
efficiencies. Single tendon ducts may be spaced at 18 to 24 in. ducts with two tendons may be
spaced as much as 36 in. apart. The use of multiple tendons per duct requires consideration of
the following:
1. Anchorage plate concrete bearing stress - Caltrans Standard Specifications requires
that the final unit compressive strength stress on the concrete behind the bearing
plate (anchorage) shall not exceed 3000 ps (20 MPa)i. When multiple tendons per
duct are used, the anchorage plate needs to be customized to ensure that concrete
bearing stress behind the anchorage plate does not exceed 3,000 psi (20 MPa). It
should be noted that the uniformly distributed applied end prestress in the concrete
beyond the end anchorage zone for 0.6 in. (15 mm) diameter tendons may range
from about 150 psi (1.0 MPa) to over 300 psi (2.0 MPa), depending on the panel
thickness and tendon spacing.
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For most PCP repair or rehabilitation (reconstruction) applications, the following support
alternatives may need to be considered:
1. Use of existing base:
a. Granular base may be reworked, trimmed, graded, and compacted; additional
bedding material may then be used to make up the difference in the base
grade needed. The bedding material may be:
i. Thin layer of cemented granular material or cemented sand.
ii. Fast-setting flowable cementitious grout or flowable fill.
iii. Polyurethane foam material, applied after the panel is placed or set in
position. For repair application, a foam thickness of up to 1 in. (25 mm)
may be used.
b. Stabilized base (cement-treated base or lean concrete base), if not damaged
in the existing slab removal process may be used as is or trimmed, as
necessary, to accommodate the panel thickness. A thin layer of rapid setting
cementitious material may be used to provide a level surface for setting the
panels.
2. New base use:
a. A new base may be used if it is determined that the existing base will not
serve the long-term needs of the new PCP. Because of time constraints, it is
necessary that the new base material be of good quality and can be placed,
graded, and compacted, if granular, fairly quickly within the same nighttime
closure as the panel installation. This option is common when PCP is used to
rehabilitate existing AC pavements. The new base type may include the
following:
i. Dense-graded, free-draining granular base.
ii. Rapid-setting LCB (RSLCB).
b. Cement-treated or asphalt-treated bases are not considered viable options
for PCP installed during nighttime lane closures, but may be considered if full-
lane closure is available and duration of lane closure is not a concern.
For both repair and continuous applications, the granular bedding material, if used, should be
cemented and kept as thin as possible and not greater than 0.25 in. (6 mm). If thicker bedding
is necessary, then consideration should be given to the use of a fast-setting cementitious fill
material. In addition, for lane replacement applications, the use of new base should not result in
a "bathtub" detail. If adjacent lanes incorporate a free-draining granular base, use of a LCB in
the repair lane may affect the subsurface drainage condition, possibly resulting in early failure of
adjacent lanes.
The current practice when using an existing or a new granular base is to rework the granular
material and compact it as is. No attempt is made to optimize the compaction process by
ensuring that the granular material is at an optimum moisture content to allow for maximum
compaction density. This is a serious limitation as this can result in non-uniform settlement
under traffic. The requirements for the panel's support condition should be no less than the
requirements for a CIP concrete pavement's support condition. The best-constructed panels
cannot perform well if they are placed on a poor support condition.
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CHAPTER 9 REFERENCES
Khazanovich, L. and Ioannides, A.M. (1993), "Finite Element Analysis of Slabs-On-Grade Using
Improved Subgrade Soil Models," Proceedings, ASCE Specialty Conference 'Airport
Pavement Innovations--Theory to Practice,' Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg,
MS, September 8-10, pp. 16-30.
Merritt, D. K., McCullough, F. B., Burns, N. H. (2002), "Construction and Preliminary Monitoring
of the Georgetown, Texas Precast Prestressed Concrete Pavement", Report No.
FHWA/TX-03-1517-01-IMP-1, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, Texas.
Merritt D, McCullough, B. F., Burns, N. H., and Schindler, A. K. (2000); "The Feasibility of Using
Precast Concrete Panels to Expedite Highway Pavement Construction" Report
FHWA/TX-01/1517-1, Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, Texas.
Merritt, D. K., Rogers, R. B., Rasmussen, R. O. (2008), "Construction of a Precast Prestressed
Concrete Pavement Demonstration Project on Interstate 57 near Sikeston, Missouri",
Draft Report No. FHWA-RD-08-XXXX, U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration, January 2008
PCI (2004), PCI Design Handbook--Precast and Prestressed Concrete, 6th Edition,
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago, IL.
PCI (2012), State-of-the-Art Report on Precast Concrete Pavements, Report No. PP-05-12,
First Edition, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago, IL.
Tayabji, S., Ye, D., and Buch, N., (2012), Precast Concrete Pavement Technology, SHRP 2
Report S2-R05-RR-1, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies,
Washington, D.C.
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Sealant
Preformed Erodibility index 1
type
PCC
Thermal
PCC coefficient of thermal expansion 6
(in./in./F x 10^-6)
Mix
Cement type Type II (2)
Cementitious material content (lb/yd^3) 657
Water to cement ratio 0.42
Aggregate type Dolomite (2)
PCC zero-stress Calculated
True
temperature (F) Internally?
User Value -
Calculated Value 91.3
Ultimate shrinkage Calculated
False
(microstrain) Internally?
User Value 537.0
Calculated Value -
Reversible shrinkage (%) 50
Time to develop 50% of ultimate shrinkage
35
(days)
Curing method Curing Compound
Chemically Stabilized
Strength
Thermal
Unbound
40000.0
Unbound
5000.0
Unbound
28000.0
Prestressing loss due to friction, F , between the PCP panel and subbase is given by the
following equation.
L
F =
288
Where:
max = Panel-base friction factor (coefficient of friction)
= concrete unit weight, lb/cubic ft
L = Panel length
The above equation can be simplified to the following form for concrete unit weight of about 142
to 146 lb/cu. ft (2,274 to 2,238 kg/cu. meter):
L
F =
2
As discussed previously, the panel-base friction factor value may range from 0.5 to about 1.5 for
prestressed CIPs or PCPs, depending on the finish of the base and the interface friction
treatment used. A typical value of 0.6 may be used for the panel-base friction factor. Also, the
prestress loss is assumed to be linear along the length of the posttensioned section.
2. Prestress Loss due to Concrete Shrinkage (PCI. 2004)
A
f s = s E s s (1)
Ac
where
es = concrete shrinkage strain
Es = modulus of elasticity of tendon steel (lbf/in2)
As = area of tendon per unit width of slab (in2)
Ac = area of slab per unit width of slab (in2)
Concrete shrinkage is a property of a specific concrete mixture and is dependent on the
water/cementitious materials ratio, aggregate type, and curing environment. Long-term
shrinkage of concrete may range from 300 to 600 millionth in./in., depending on the drying
environment - one-sided drying versus multiple-side drying and the concrete dimensions. For
precast concrete panels, it is expected that a significant amount of drying shrinkage will take
place during storage at the plant or the project site. The storage period may range from a few
weeks to several months. In addition, after installation, the concrete panels exhibit shrinkage
mostly in the upper 2 to 3 in. (50 to 75 mm) of the panel. The rest of the panel remains moist
enough (high relative humidity) and does not exhibit significant long-term drying shrinkage. For
computation of the prestress loss due to concrete shrinkage and the posttensioned section's
end movements (discussed later), a reasonably conservative average drying shrinkage value of
about 200 millionth in./in. is recommended.
3. Prestress Loss due to Concrete Creep (PCI. 2004)
Prestress loss due to concrete creep is given by the following equation:
Es A
f cr = C u f pe s (2)
Ec Ac
Where:
Cu = ultimate concrete creep coefficient
Es = modulus of elasticity of concrete (lbf/in2)
f pe = applied end prestress
The Cu value is dependent on the hardness and gradation of the concrete aggregates, cement
content, water/cementitious materials ratio, curing environment, and age at time of sustained
stress application. A Cu value of 2.5 is recommended. Alternatively, concrete creep strain may
be used to account for this prestress loss. A reasonably conservative average concrete creep
strain value of about 75 millionth in./in. is recommended.
f r = f pe (3)
Where:
= the steel relaxation coefficient, 0.04
Prestress loss due to concrete shrinkage and creep = 8.7 lbf/in2 (0.06 MPa).
Prestress loss due to steel relaxation = 9.8 lbf/in2 (0.07 MPa).
Prestress loss due to wedge seating = 2.6 lbf/in2 (0.02 MPa).
Total prestress losses at end = 8.7 + 9.8 + 2.6 = 21.1 lbf/in2 (0.16 MPa).
Total prestress at end after losses = 244.0 - 21.1 = 222.9 lbf/in2 (1.54 MPa).
Prestress loss due to pane/base interface friction = 78.0 lbf/in2 (0.54 MPa).
The long-term effective prestress at the midpoint of the posttensioned section = 222.9 - 78.0 =
144.9 lbf/in2 (1.00 MPa).
Because of the small magnitude and the sequence of installation of the adjacent
PTSection, the immediate PTSection shortening due to the prestressing is ignored in
any joint width or PTSection end movement computations.
TEMPERATURE-ASSOCIATED PTSECTION END MOVEMENTS
Temperature-associated end movements are dependent on the PTSection length and the
concrete CTE. The movements are affected by daily and seasonal temperature changes. For
the purpose of joint width determination, the daily temperature variations are ignored and only
seasonal temperature variations are considered. Both daily and seasonal temperatures are
cyclic in nature. Expansion and contraction of the concrete occur gradually on a daily basis. As
a result, any restraint to the daily and seasonal end movements due to panel-base friction can
be ignored. As discussed, it is expected that the friction factor will be less than 1.0 when a base
grade is smooth and an interface friction treatment is used. The restraint to movement, even if
considered, ranges in value from about 0.05 to about 0.15 in, depending on the PTSection
length and friction factor. Ignoring the restraint due to panel-base friction provides a slightly
conservative estimate of the PTSection end movements.
The PTSection total end movement (total for both ends), dLtemp, is computed as follows:
dLtemp = (Tcmax - Tcmin) x CTEc x L
where: Tcmax = Maximum concrete temperature during the summer
Tcmin = Minimum concrete temperature during the winter
CTEc = Concrete coefficient of thermal expansion
For Tcmax = 120 F, Tcmin = 20 F, CTEc = 0.000005 in./in./F, L = 200 ft (2400 in.)
dLtemp = (120 - 20) x (0.000005) x (2400) = 1.20 in.
CONCRETE CREEP-ASSOCIATED PTSECTION END MOVEMENT
Creep is the long-term shortening of concrete subjected to sustained stress. In the case of a
PPCP system, the sustained stress is due to the effective prestress along the length of the PTS.
The concrete strain, CSc, due to creep is typically computed as follows:
CSc = Cu x (Pend + Peffective)/2 x (1/Ec)
Where: Cu = Ultimate concrete creep coefficient
The Cu value is dependent on the hardness and gradation of the concrete aggregates, cement
content, water/cementitious materials ratio, curing environment, and age at time of sustained
stress application. A Cu value of 2.5 is recommended.
For Pend = 300 lbf/in2, Peffective = 150 lbf/in2, and Ec = 4,000,000 lbf/in2,
CSc = 140 millionth in./in.
The PTSection total end movement (total for both ends), dLcreep, due to creep, is computed as
follows:
dLcreep = CSc x L
For L = 200 ft (2400 in.) and CSc of 140 millionth in./in. computed above,
dLc = (140/1,000,000) x 2400 = 0.30 in.
The effect of panel-base friction is ignored as the concrete creep takes place gradually over
many years.
INTRODUCTION
The Precast Prestressed Concrete Pavement (PPCP) design utility is a self-contained Microsoft
Excel based spreadsheet that is designed specifically for use by Caltrans to design PPCP
systems. The software utility, referred to as CalPPCP, has the following four modules:
1. Module 1: Baseline JCP thickness design using HDM 620
2. Module 2: Required effective prestress computation
3. Module 3: Prestressing system design
4. Module 4: Expansion joint movement computation
In general, the inputs are either embedded in the drop-down lists as in Module 1 or are required
to be input in cells highlighted in light green. The other cells that contain a value are computed
results and are protected from accidental modification from users.
The finite element analysis software program, ILSL2, included with CalPPCP, has to be placed
in the same folder as the EXCEL spreadsheet for CalPPCP. Only the EXCEL spreadsheet and
Program ILSL2 are required.
The CalPPCP EXCEL spreadsheet contains macros and they need to be enabled so that the
utility spreadsheet can function properly.
CALPPCP MODULE 1: BASELINE JCP THICKNESS DESIGN USING HDM 620
Module 1 generates a baseline thickness design for a jointed concrete pavement based on the
project specific traffic and site conditions. A database incorporating the HDM 620 catalog
design tables is embedded in CalPPCP utility. Similar to the catalog tables, Module 1 requires
the following input from pull-down lists (as shown in Figure D-1):
1. Climatic region (one of 8) regions
2. Subgrade (Type I or type II)
3. Traffic Index (from 9 to 18)
4. Lateral support (widened outside lane or tied concrete shoulder) (Yes or No)
Inputs: Outputs:
Climatic Region Thickness
Pavement Structure
Subgrade (ft) (in.)
Traffic Index JPCP 1.15 14
With Lateral Support Base 0.5 6
Subbase 0.7 8.4
Note: JPCP thickness is rounded up to the nearest half inch.
The concrete slab thickness is the baseline thickness to be used for the design of a PPCP that
would provide performance equivalent the baseline jointed concrete pavement.
CALPPCP MODULE 2: REQUIRED EFFECTIVE PRESTRESS COMPUTATION
Module 2 determines the effective midsection prestress needed to for a range of PPCP panel
thickness (from 6 inches to 12 inches) that would result in the PPCP providing an equal
structural performance compared to the baseline jointed concrete pavement. The performance
equivalency is based on the assumption that if the stresses in the two systems (baseline jointed
concrete pavement and the PPCP) are similar, the structural performance will be similar. As
such, it is assumed that the cracking distress development over the design life will be similar for
the two systems. The faulting distress development at expansion joints in the PPCP is not
considered to be critical because of the fewer expansion joints used and the use of stabilized
base.
Figure D-2 shows a screenshot of this module. As described earlier, the cells highlighted in light
green can accept project specific inputs. The cells under CIP Slab Dimension are automatically
updated based on the outputs from Module 1 and so is the Distance to Edge (CIP), which is 0
for 12-ft wide slab and 2 for widened slab.
After the project specific inputs are entered in the light green cells, click the "Analyze" button.
Input files with the project specific inputs will be generated for the ILSL2 and the ILSL2 will be
called to process those input files. This will take a few seconds. After the analysis is complete,
the results from the ILSL2 outputs will be summarized automatically in the output chart and
table
Inputs:
Variables Unit Value Type of Movement (in.) Unit Value
Maximum Concrete Temperature (F) 90
1.08 (in.) 2.41
during Summer Temperature-Associated Maximum Joint Width
Minimum Concrete Temperature (F) 30 Joint Width at Time of
0.825 (in.) 0.86
during Winter Shrinkage & Creep Installation
Temperature at Installation (F) 70 Total End Movements 1.91
Minimum Allowable Joint Width (in.) 0.5
Maximum Allowable Joint Width (in.) 3.0