Whitetopping

Concrete Overlays for Roads & Streets

2008 Michigan Seminar on

Maintenance of Asphalt Pavements
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
January 8-9, 2008

Steve Waalkes, P.E.

Director of Engineering, West Michigan
Michigan Concrete Paving Association
Concrete Whitetopping

Consists of thin concrete layer (typ. 4 in. or less) on

top of an existing asphalt pavement.
Specific steps are taken to bond the new concrete to
the existing asphalt and to saw short joint spacing.
May or may not contain fibers

. .

.. .
. . .
. .
Concrete Whitetopping

Designed to be a cost competitive mid-

term fix
Actual initial cost bid prices
Has been shown to last longer than alternative
paving materials
Designed for minimal impact on traveling
public
No earthwork required
Weekend closures
Concrete Whitetopping

Mill and Fill with Concrete

Scoping/Design Issues
for Whitetopping

Pre-Design Investigation
Visual examination of pavement
Check the profile grade line
Repairs not typical, only needed for areas of
extreme poor support, subgrade failure
Cores
The more, the better
Scoping/Design Issues
for Whitetopping

Milling
Reduces need for adj. structures, tie-ins
to driveways, overhead clearances, etc.
Roughened surface enhances bond
Support
Adequate asphalt thickness after milling?
Minimum 3 inches desired
Thicken up whitetopping in areas of weak
support (over culverts, subgrade failures)
Scoping/Design Issues
for Whitetopping

Thickness
4 inches typical in Michigan
3.5 inches common (2x4 forms)
Design Life
Can be estimated/predicted with software
10 to 15 years is target
Properly designed & constructed, can be
>20 years
Construction Steps

Mill and clean the asphalt

Place, finish, and cure the concrete
Early-entry saws for control joints
Open to traffic
1500 to 3000 psi compressive, or
350 to 550 psi flexural
Actual
number depends on amount of heavy
commercial traffic
Construction Steps
Mill Surface

Clean Surface
Construction Steps
Placement using
Slipform Paver

Placement using
Vibrating Screed
Construction Steps
Finishing

Curing
Construction Steps
Early Saw

Open to
Traffic
 Whitetopping
in Michigan
Driveway to Cornillie Concrete, Traverse City
Fall 1996, 3.5 in.
Schaefer Hwy., City of Detroit, Fall 1996
Bus Terminal just north of Schoolcraft St., 3 in.
Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. & Pleasant Lake Rd., Washtenaw County,
Fall 1997
Left turn lane, 4 in.
M-46, Port Sanilac, Summer 1999
West village limits to M-25, 3.5 in.
Greening Rd. to W. village limits, 5.0 in.
Goetze Rd. to Greening Rd., 8.0 in.
Campground Rd., Macomb County, 2000
28 Mile & 29 Mile, 4 in.
Zeeb Road, Washtenaw County, Summer 2000
1 mile, S. of I-94, 6.0 in.
College Avenue, City of Grand Rapids, Fall 2000
Approach to Fulton St., 4 in.
Whitetopping
in Michigan
44th & Burlingame, City of Wyoming
Summer 2001, 4 in.
Wealthy Street, City of Grand Rapids
Late Fall 2001, 4 in.
Laketon & Barclay, City of Muskegon
Summer 2002, 4 in.
36th & Byron Center, City of Wyoming
Summer 2003 4 in.
Lafayette & Fulton, City of Grand Rapids
Summer 2003, 4 in.
44th & Breton, Kent County
Summer 2004, 4 in.
Breton & 32nd, City of Grand Rapids
Summer 2004, 4 in.
Division & 36th, City of Wyoming
Summer 2004, 4 in.
Whitetopping
in Michigan
Portage & Cork, City of Kalamazoo
Summer 2004, 4 in.
City of Grand Rapids, City Wide 9 locations, Fall 2004, 4
in.
Leonard & Plainfield
Leonard & Diamond
Leonard & Fuller
Michigan & Plymouth
Michigan & Fuller
Michigan & Lafayette
Burton & East Beltline
Burton & Eastern
Eastern & Alger
Coolidge & Wattles, City of Troy
Summer 2005, 4 in.
 Whitetopping
in Michigan
City of Grand Rapids, City Wide 3 locations, Spring 2005, 4 in.
Fuller & Plainfield
Burton & Kalamazoo
Burton & Madison
Burton St. & Clyde Park, City of Grand Rapids
Summer 2005, 4 in.
Kalamazoo Ave., 32nd & 36th Streets, City of Grand Rapids
Summer 2006, 4 in.
Patterson Avenue, Kent County, Summer 2006
44th to 36th, 1 mile, 36,000 SY, 4 in.
Fuller Ave. & Evangeline, City of Grand Rapids
Fall 2006, 4 in.
Patterson Avenue, Kent County, Summer 2007
36th to 28th, 1 mile, 33,000 SY, 4 in.
Main Street, City of Capac, Summer 2007
Downtown Development, 4 in.
Whitetopping Overlays
On Streets & Roads
In Michigan
Whitetopping Overlays
On Streets & Roads
In the Grand Rapids Area 2005

2004 2004

2004
2004 2004

2006
2003 2000

2001

2005 2004 2005 2004

2005

2004

2006 2004 2007

2003 2004

2006
2006
2001 2004
Traverse City, Cornillie Concrete
3.5" UTW, 1996
Cornillie Concrete, 2004
Cornillie Concrete, 2004
Cornillie Concrete, 5/2/07
Cornillie Concrete, 5/2/07
Ann Arbor-Saline / Pleasant Lake Road
Washtenaw County June 1997
Ann Arbor-Saline / Pleasant Lake Road
Washtenaw County
Left Turn Lane, 4 in., 1997
Ann Arbor-Saline / Pleasant Lake Road
Washtenaw County
Left Turn Lane, 4 in., 1997
Pleasant Lake Left Turn Lane Spring 2005
Ann Arbor-Saline/Pleasant Lake Road
Summer 2005
Ann Arbor-Saline/Pleasant Lake Road
Summer 2005
Ann Arbor-Saline/Pleasant Lake Road
Summer 2005
Ann Arbor-Saline/Pleasant Lake Road
Summer 2005
Fulton & Lafayette, GR - 2003
Patterson Ave. Whitetopping
44th to 36th Summer 2006
4 in. nominal thickness
1 mile long (44th St. to 36th St.)
5 lanes (2 ea. way, 1 center turn)
36,000+ sq. yds.
Mainline paved in 6 paving days
Furnish: $73.67 / cu. yd.
$12.79 / sq. yd.
Place & finish: $4.19 / sq. yd.
Cold mill 4 inches: $2.00 / sq. yd.
Gaps
Traffic Control
Manholes
Patterson Ave. Whitetopping
36th to 28th Summer 2007
4 in. nominal thickness
1 mile long (36th St. to 28th St.)
5 lanes (2 ea. way, 1 center turn)
33,000+ sq. yds.
Mainline paved in 5 paving days
Furnish: $79.22 / cu. yd.
$14.67 / sq. yd.
Place & finish: $4.11 / sq. yd.
Cold mill 4 inches: $0.56 / sq. yd.
Milling
Paving
Night Paving
Joint Sawing
 Thin Concrete Overlays of
Composite Pavements

New Concrete Overlay

Asphalt Separator Layer

Old Concrete Pavement

Thin Concrete Overlays
of Composite Pavements in Michigan

Experience shows
Minimal design/survey needs to be done
upfront
After the milling is completed, the field
engineering begins
Common sense should prevailWhat we
are looking for is uniform support upon
which to build the overlay
Thin Concrete Overlays of
Composite Pavements in Michigan

Local Roads & Streets

Coolidge Highway, Royal Oak, 1983
13 Mile to 14 Mile, 5 in.
Enterprise Drive, Allen Park, 1997
Oakwood to S. Dearborn, 6 in.
W. Outer Drive, Dearborn Heights, Wayne County, 2000
Ford Rd. to Hines Drive, 1 mile, 35,000 SY, 4 in.
Merriman Road, City of Westland, Wayne County, 2003
Michigan Ave. to Palmer, 1 mile, 40,000 SY, 4 in.
Oakman Boulevard, City of Dearborn, Wayne County,
2003
Michigan Ave. to Ford Road, 0.5 mile, 20,000 SY, 4 in.
 Thin Concrete Overlays of
Composite Pavements in Michigan

Local Roads & Streets

Ryan Road, City of Warren, 2004, 40,000 SY
9 Mile Road to 10 Mile Road, 1 mile, 4 in. on inside lane
Nadeau Road, Monroe County, 2004
5,000 SY, 7 in. mill/fill
Griswold Street, City of Northville, Wayne County, 2005
Main St. to Baseline Rd., 0.75 mile, 11,000 SY 4 in./6 in.
M-3 (Gratiot Ave.), City of Detroit, 2005
I-375 to I-94, 3.2 miles, 198,000 SY, 4 in.
Coolidge Highway, City of Oak Park, 2007
8 Mile to 10 Mile, 60,000 SY, 6 in.
 Thin Concrete Overlays of
Composite Pavements in Michigan

Local Roads & Streets

Racho Road, City of Taylor, 2007
10,000 SY, 4 in.
Marsh Road, Ingham County, 2007
Haslett Rd. to Towner Rd., 27,500 SY, 3.75 in.
Thin Concrete Overlays
Of Composite Pavements
On Streets & Roads
In the Detroit Metro Area
MDOT Gratiot Avenue Demo
Gratiot Demo Project Scope

Mill existing asphalt overlay, approx. 5 in.

Place 1-inch asphalt separator layer, both
standard and open graded mixes
Place 4-inch plain concrete overlay
Well graded concrete mix
Approx. 6-foot joint spacing
Single saw cut sealed and unsealed joints
MDOT Gratiot Avenue
Demo
Existing Conditions:
3 mile section
9 lanes across
5 in. of asphalt on top
9 in. plain pavement below
Old rail located under center
lane
Old brick located under
asphalt in bus lane
Existing curb to remain in
place
Many, many, intersections
Gratiot Jointing
Gratiot Manholes
 Gratiot Manhole Detail

Overlay Casting
Separator
Layer
Existing
Adjustment Rings
Pavement

Expansion
Material

Manhole / Vault
Gratiot Pedestrian Traffic
Concrete Overlays

Not hard to construct

Do not require extensive engineering
expense more field engineering than
plans & survey
Initial cost is competitive with current
repair methods
Can be constructed quickly with
minimal traffic impact
 Questions?

Feel free to contact me:

swaalkes@miconcpave.com or 616-633-9629