CONCRETE PAVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS AND
) With continuous reinforcement,
BEHAVIOR
The behavior of concrete pavement that is
expose to loading and environmental effect
entirely depends upon the:
Quality of concrete
Underlying sub-grade
Base course
Concrete
- strong in resisting compression load acting
on it, but considerably weak in resisting
tensile stress.
- also expand and contract due to
temperature changes. It expands when wet
and contracts when dried.
- After pouring, concrete shrinks as the
mortar hardens and the cement hydrates
- Concrete pavement changes in length with
time of day for being exposed to different
elements of weather changes
- A curl tendency is very likely due to the
effect of daily and seasonal temperature
and moisture differences between the top
and bottom of slab.
CONCRETE PAVEMENT DESIGN ASSUMES THE
FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS
1. That the pavement slab was designed as
plain concrete beams.
2. That, transverse cracks on the concrete
pavement cannot be avoided. The designer
however, presumes that the pavement
cracks could be controlled, by providing
reinforcement to the slab joints with the
following assumptions.
a.) With reinforcement, cracks on the slab
will be confined to a weekend plain joints
spaced at 4.50 to 6.00 meters distance.
b.) Vertical offsetting across the narrow
cracks will be prevented by aggregate
interlock, or by dowel bars.
c.) With simply reinforced slab, cracks will
only appear at weakened plane joints
spaced at 12-20 meters interval. Hair
cracks that can be held tightly by the steel
between joints.
d.
transverse joints omitted. Hair cracks are
checked by the steel and developed at
close intervals.
e.) Faulting is countered by aggregate
interlock and steel bars.
3. The longitudinal cracks on the pavement
slab more than one lane wide are
inevitable.
4. Pavement slab is supported by foundation
that deflects when loaded but recover
when the load is removed, assuming that
the foundation materials are elastic or like
a dense liquid.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Deterioration of concrete pavement is due to
stress brought about by 1 rad, moisture and
temperature.
Distress of concrete is generally grouped into the
following categories:
a. Distortion
b. Cracking
c. Disintegration
Distortion is a vertical displacement of concrete
slab at the joint of the cracks. Distortion is due to
failure or weakness of concrete joints.
Faulting is the result of pumping tremendous
force or load that developed under the pavement.
For faulting to occur, there must be free water on
the top of the base course and pavement
deflection across the joint due to heavy axle loads.
Causes of faulting:
a. Loss of slab support
b. Erosion of sub base
Cracking can take many forms in concrete
pavement that could be the result from; applied
load, temperature or moisture changes
The most common type of cracks:
a. Corner cracks associated with excessive
corner deflection.
 b. Transverse cracks associated with mixture 22.5 32 .45 .30
or temperature stress, or poor construction
25.0 32 .45 .30
methods.
27.5 32 .45 .30
Disintegration appears in the form of durability
cracking, scaling or spalling, as the result of mix 30.0 32 .45 .30
design or construction related problems like:
Source : AASHTO Interior Guide & Proposed
a. Durability cracking. Result from freeze- Revision 1980
thaw action
b. Scaling. A network of shallow fine hairline
cracks which extend through the upper
surface of the concrete. This is the result
from deicing salts, improper construction,
freeze-thaw cycle, or steel reinforcement
too closed to the surface
c. Spalling is the breaking or chipping of the
joint edges. It is the result from excessive
stresses at joint, weak concrete, poorly
designed or constructed joints FIGURE 8-1 BASIC TYPE OF CONCRETE
Changes in temperature and moisture content PAVEMENT JOINTS
create slab curling, flexure stresses and overall LONGITUDINAL JOINTS
lengthening and shortening of the slabs. The
Longitudinal joints are provided between
tendency of the slab to shorten is due to
adjacent traffic lanes. It is considered as hinges to
temperature drop or dying that create tensile
provide edge support, but allows rotation between
stresses. On the other hand, the tendency to
the slabs. By this joint, flexural stresses that might
lengthen is due to temperature rise or increased in
cause irregular cracks along the length of the road
moisture that creates compression stresses.
are relieved or neutralized. Longitudinal joints
TRANSVERSE EXPANSION JOINTS cannot be considered as a major problem under
Expansion Joints provide space allowance the following assumptions:
for the lengthening of slab due to expansion. 1. That there is no big load transfer across it.
Because of the many buckling upward of concrete 2. That, the expansion and contraction
pavement, Engineers have come up with a movement developed across the pavement
conclusion that these blowups serves as width is very small.
conclusive evidence that expansion joint is
necessary.

TABLE 8-2 RECOMMENDED DMENSIONS OF

DOWELS FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENT JOINTS

Pavement Dowel Dowel Dowel

Thickness Diameter Length Spacing
cm. mm meter meter

15.0 20 .45 .30

FIGURE 8-2 LONGITUDINAL JOINT LOAD
17.5 25 .45 .30
TRANSFER
20.0 25 .45 .30 3. When lanes are constructed at different time
using side forms, the joints are provided with
 key way in the first slab to accept load
transfer.
4. For longitudinal joint, deformed tie bars are
used because the purpose is to hold the
slabs tightly together, rather to allow the
joints to open and close.
5. The diameter and spacing of tie bars are
based on the forced needed to pull the
narrow pavement slab over the sub-grade to
the joint.
6. The length of tie bar is determined from the
embedment inside the concrete necessary to
develop the strength of the bar.
CONSTRUCTION JOINT
If concrete pouring will be interrupted for
quite some time that cold joint will be inevitable,
the practice is to provide a transverse construction
joints. Deformed tie bars are used to hold the joint
tightly closed together. However, if the
construction joint replaces a contraction joint, the
use of dowels is the alternative.
Construction joints and cracks should be
cleaned and sealed to prevent infiltration of water
to the sub-grade and to keep dirt out of the joints.
Materials for such purpose includes harder paving
and air blown asphalt sometimes mixed with
mineral filler, rubber asphalt, and various rubber
compounds. They are poured hot and stiff, then
cooled, and others are placed cold. There are some
pre-formed sealant made of strips of extruded
neoprene compressed for insertion into the groove
joints, the sealant will expand and fill the space
completely.
REINFORCEMENT OF JOINTS
Steel reinforcement for concrete pavement
joints is specified in the design to prevent the
widening of cracks produced by shrinkage or
thermal contraction.
The reinforcement holds the fractured faces on
rigid contacts preserving the aggregate interlock
and the intrusion of dirt or water. These reinforcing
bars, however, is not intended to resist flexural
stress being produced by loads or curling.
The reinforcing steel bars are mounted in one layer
along the mid-depth of the slab. The formula used
in designing this reinforcement for concrete slab
joint is
=
Where:
As = Area of steel cross section per foot of slab.
L = Length of slab between joints in feet.
f = Coefficient of friction between the slab and
the sub-grade called the coefficient of sub-grade
resistance ranging from1 to 2 with 1.5
recommended by AASHTO Interim Guide.
S = Working stress in the reinforcing steel in
pounds per sq. in. AASHTO Interim Guide
suggested working stress from 30,000 to 45,000
psi depending upon the type and grade of steel.
Wielded fabrics are also used as reinforcements
for concrete pavement made from cold drawn
steel wired having the following properties:
Minimum allowed 80,000 psi
tensile strength
Yield Strength 70,000 psi
Reinforcing bars of 40,000 to 75,000 psi.
billet, rail or axle steel
yield strength among
the from
The SUB-GRADE and SUB-BASE for Concrete
Pavement
The construction standard for sub-grade and
embankment are precise and almost typical for all
pavement types. Under the concrete pavement
literature, the under course of selected material is
always imposed upon between the sub-grade or
embankment and the concrete slab.
SUB-GRADE
 - the natural ground grade and compacted
on which the pavement is built.
Preparation of the subgrade includes:
1. Compacting soils at moisture contents and
densities that will ensure uniform and stable
pavement support.
2. Whenever possible, setting gradelines high
enough and making side ditches deep enough
to increase the distance between water table
and the pavement.
3. Crosshauling and mixing of soils to achieve
uniform conditions in areas where there are
abrupt horizontal changes in soil type.
4. Using selective grading in cut and fill areas to
place the better soils nearer to he top of the
final grade elevation.
5. Improving extremely poor soils by treatment
with cement or lime, or importing better soils,
whichever is more economical.
SUB-BASE
- defined as the layer of material that lies
immediately below the concrete
pavement.
When the use of a sub-base is considered
appropriate, the best results are obtained by:
1. Selecting sub-base materials that meet
minimum requirements for preventing mud-
pumping of sub-grade soils.
2. Specifying gradation controls that will ensure a
reasonably constant sub-base gradation for
individual projects.
3. Specifying a minimum sub-base depth of 4 in.
4. Specifying a minimum density for untreated
sub-bases of 105 percent of AASHTO T99 for
heavily travelled projects.
5. Specifying a cement-treated or lean concrete
sub-base that provides a strong and uniform
support for the pavements and joints; provides
an all-weather working platform; and
contributes a smoother pavements by giving
firm support to the forms or paver during
construction.
6. Specifying a permeable sub-base for pavements
carrying high volumes of heavy trucks for which
past experience indicates the potential for
pavement faulting and pumping.
PUMPING
- the ejection of water and sub-grade soil
through the joints and cracks along the
edges of the concrete pavement.
CONCRETE PROPORTIONS
The fundamental rule to obtain good concrete is
the proper selection of cement aggregate and
water thus:
1. Type 1 or II cement is specified for concrete
pavement
2. Water for concrete must be clean, free from
acids, alkali and oil. Water that is suited for
drinking purposes is acceptable for mixing
cement except water containing large amount
of sulfate.
3. If concrete is to be strong, sound and durable,
the aggregate must have similar properties.
4. The mineral aggregate of concrete is about 75%
of the volume or about 80% of the weight of
normal pavement
5. The maximum size of coarse aggregate is 2
inches. The use of larger aggregates, according
to some experienced highway engineers,
increases its length and durability. With larger
aggregate, less water is needed thereby,
increasing the ratio of cement to water. Under
the cement-ratio principle, concrete is stronger
when water content is less.
ADMIXTURE
A substance added in mixing to change the
characteristic of concrete mixture. There are
varieties of admixtures available the air-
entraining admixture, which is very common.
Others, like water reducer, retarder, accelerator,
Pozzolan ad plasticizer are also used.
AIR ENTRAINMENT
The entrapment of air in the concrete
mixture in the form of evenly distributed small
bubbles. It is used to increase the concrete
resistance to surface scaling caused by increase the
concrete resistance to surface scaling caused by
deicing with calcium or sodium chloride. Another
working advantage of air entrainment is improving
its workability and reduces bleeding in fresh
concrete.
aggregate and a less fluid cement-water paste can
be used.
On how to reduce the amount of cement-
water paste and the cost of the mixture we have to:
1. Allow the larger size of aggregate that can be
accommodated in the pavement slab.

The effectiveness of air entrainment is to 2. Ascertain the aggregate is uniformly graded

increase the concrete durability that is influenced from coarse to fine.
by: 3. Avail of the biggest quantity of coarse
aggregate consistent with proper workability.
1. Percentage of air present in the mixture.
4. Adopt the lowest slump consistent with the
2. Grading of aggregates.
proper pouring and finishing.
3. Size and distribution of air bubbles.
Slump Test
CEMENT and WATER RATIO
- is the old traditional and most widely used
The strength and other desirable properties
method in determining the consistency of
if concrete mixture varies depending upon the
concrete.
ratio of concrete to mixing water. A non-air-
- A Truncated Cone of metal sheet 12 inches high
entrained concrete with a water cement ratio by
with base and top diameters 8 inches and 4
weight of 5 gallons of water per bag of cement may
inches is filled 3 layers with fresh concrete.
have a compressive strength of about 5,300 psi in
- Each layer is rodded 25 times. Then the cone is
28 days. On the other hand, a mixture of concrete
lifted off vertically, allowing the concrete to
with 7 gallons of water per bag of cement has
subside. The slump is the height in inches that the
developed strength of 3.700 psi only for 28 days.
top of the specimen falls.
Durability is dependent on the water-cement ratio
that should be properly controlled to obtain the
richness of the paste. AASHTO Guide specification
for highway construction established the max.
water cement ratio at 6 gallons per bag of cement
on normal conditions and 5 gallons per bag of
cement fir severe atmospheric conditions.

CONCRETE MIXTURE

The objective in mixing concrete is to use

more aggregates and as a little cement as possible,
while maintaining the workability necessary for a
successful pouring and consolidation.
For structural concrete poured in
inaccessible small areas around reinforcing bars, it
is necessary to over-fill the voids or spaces around
the aggregate and reinforcement using free
flowing cement in water paste form. On the
contrary, pavement where the slab is open and thin
with an access to manipulate from the surface, a
drier mixture can be poured inside the form with
ease and success. Thus, a higher percentage of
Kelly Ball Method
- a metal cylinder 15 cm diameter and 12 cm high
with hemisphere bottom shaped weighing 14 kg.
- a graduated handle rising from the top of the
ball passes through a metal frame that is 30 cm
apart. The ball is placed on the surface of the
fresh concrete. Its penetration is measure by
comparing its position with that of the frame.
- The advantage is that reading could be taken
immediately on the concrete being poured on the
roadway. On the contrary, the slump test requires
more time but could be conducted only on
selected samples.
CURING of CONCRETE PAVEMENT
Newly placed concrete pavement needs curing.
Curing may be accomplished by several methods
but basically; all the methods could be categorized
into two:
1. Those that keep the surface constantly wet or
cover it with water absorbent material that is re-
wetted from time to time.
2. Those that pavement evaporated from the
water already in the concrete which is retained
is sufficient enough for hydration.
The chemical action between cement and
water produces strength of concrete. If the
concrete dries out quickly, hydration and strength
processes will stop, but when moisture becomes
available during hydration, strength gain will
continue. The shortest period of curing for normal
concrete is 5 days according to AASHTO
recommendation.
DPWH SPECIFICATIONS ON CONCRETE
PAVEMENT
Concrete pavement is categorized under
item 311 of DPWH standard specifications, which
provides that:
This item shall consist of Portland cement
Concrete pavement with or without reinforcement,
constructed on the prepared base in accordance
with the plans and specifications.
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS
PORTLAND CEMENT
- shall conform to the applicable requirements of
Item 0-700, hydraulic cement. Only type 1 or the
normal or common Portland cement should be
used. Different brands or the same brands from
different mills shall not be mixed nor shall they
be used alternately unless approved by the
supervising engineer.
FINE AGGREGATE
1. Fine aggregate shall consist of natural sand,
stone screening or other inert materials with
similar characteristics or combination thereof,
having hard, strong and durable particles. It
shall be free from injurious amounts of
organic impurities.
2. Fine aggregates from different sources of
supply should not be mixed or stored in the
same pile nor used alternately.
3. Fine aggregates should not contain more than
3 mass percent of materials passing the
0.075mm (No. 200) sieve by washing nor more
than one mass percent each of clay lumps or
shale.
4. The use of beach sand will not be allowed
without the approval of the supervising
engineer.
5. If the fine aggregate is subjected to 5 cycles of
the sodium sulfate soundness test, the
weighed loss should not exceed 10 mass
percent.
6. If fine aggregate is subjected to test for
organic impurities and a color darker than the
standard is produced, it should be rejected.
However, when tested for the effect of organic
impurities on the strength of mortar by
AASHTO T-71, the fine aggregate may be
used if the relative strength at 7 and 28 days
is not less than 95 mass percent.
Table 8-4 grading requirements for fine
aggregates
Sieve Designation Mass Percent
 10.0 mm 3/8 100 50.0 2 - 90 - 90 -
100 100
4.75 mm No. 4 95-100
37.5 1 25 - 60 35 - 70 -
1.18 mm No. 16 45-80
25.0 1 - 0 - 15 35 - 70
0.30 mm No. 50 5-30
20.0 0 - - -
0.15 mm No. 0-10
1
100
0
12.0 0-5 0-5 10 - 30

4.75 No. 4 - - 0-5

COARSE AGGREGATE
1. Coarse aggregate shall consist of WATER
crushed stone, gravel, blast furnace slag, or Water to be used in concrete mixing or
other approved inert materials of similar curing or other designated applications
character or combination thereof, having should be clean and free from oil, salt, acid,
hard, strong durable pieces, free from any alkali, grass or other substances injurious to
adherent coatings the finished product. Drinking water if used
2. Coarse aggregate should contain not needs to be tested.
more than one mass percent of material REINFORCING STEEL
passing the 0.075mm (No. 200) sieve nor The specifications state that: dowels and tie
more than 0.25 mass percent of clay lumps, bars to be used in concrete pavement shall
not more than 3.5 mass percent of soft conform to the requirements of AASHTO M-31 or
fragments. M-42 except that rail steel shall not be used for tie
3. If the coarse aggregate was subjected bars to be bended and re-straightened during
to 5 cycles of the sodium sulfate soundness construction. Specifications further provide that:
test, the lost weight should not exceed 12 1. Tie bars shall be deformed bars.
mass percent. It should have a mass 2. Dowels shall be plain round bars delivered
percent of wear not exceeding 40 when to the site with one half of each dowel
tested by AASHTO T-96. length painted with one coat of approved
4. If slag is used, its density should not lead or tar paint.
be less than 1120 kilogram per cubic meter. 3. The sleeves of dowels shall be metal of
The gradation of the coarse aggregate approved design to cover 50mm plus or
should conform to Table 8-5. Only one minus 5mm of the dowels, with a closed
grading specification should be used from end, with a suitable stop to hold the end of
any one source. the sleeve at least 25mm from the end of
the dowel.
Table 8-5 grading requirements for coarse
4. Sleeve shall be of such design that they do
aggregate
not collapse during construction.
Mass Percent Passing
JOINT FILLERS
Grading Gradin Gradin
Siev Designatio - Joint fillers should be mixed
A g g
e n asphalt and mineral or rubber filler.
B C
mm Inch The pre-formed joint fillers are
75.0 3 100 - - punched to admit the dowels. Filler for
each joint should be furnished in a
63.0 2 90 - 100 100 100
single place for the full depth and
 width of the joint
STORAGE OF CEMENT AND AGGREGATE
- The storage house for cement
should be waterproof with raised floor
from the ground to protect the cement
from rain or dampness.
1. The provisions for storage should be ample
enough and the shipment of cement as
received is separately stored in such a
manner as to allow the earliest deliveries to
be used first and to provide easy access for
identification and inspection of each
shipment.
2. Storage house must have the capacity to
accommodate sufficient quantity of
cement to allow sampling at least 12 days
before the cement is used.
3. To secure uniformity of concrete mixture,
the coarse aggregate are separated into
two or more sizes. Different sizes of
aggregates are stored in separate bins or in
separate stockpiles sufficiently remote
from each other to prevent the materials at
the edge on the piles from becoming
intermixed
PROPORTIONING, CONSISTENCY AND
STRENGTH OF CONCRETE
Prepare a design mixture based on the
absolute volume method as specified in the
American Concrete Institution (ACI) standard
Recommended Practice for selecting Proportion
for normal and heavyweight concrete.
1. The intent of this specification is to require
approximately 9.0 bags of cement per
cubic meter of concrete based on a 40 kg
weight per bag of cement. However,
leaner or richer mixture may be used in
order to meet the minimum strength
requirements.
2. The engineer will determine from the
laboratory tests. The materials to be used,
the cement content and the proportions
of aggregate and water that will produce a
workable concrete having a slump of
between 40 and 70 mm (11/2 to 3) if not
vibrated, or between 10 to 40 mm if
vibrated and flexural strength of not less
than 3.8 Mpa (550 psi) when tested by the
third-point method or 4.5 Mpa (650 psi)
when tested by the mid-point method or a
compressive strength of 24.1 Mpa (3,500
psi) when tested at fourteen days.
3. The designer should consider the use of
lean concrete (econo-concrete) mixture
using local materials or specifically
modified conventional concrete mixture in
base course and in the lower course of
composite, monolithic concrete
pavements using a minimum of 75 mm of
conventional concrete as the surface
course.
QUALITY CONTROL OF CONCRETE
For quality control of concrete in general,
the DPWH specifications provides that:
The contractor shall be responsible for the
quality control of all materials during the handling,
blending, mixing and placement operations. The
contractor shall furnish the engineer a Quality
Control Plan detailing the production control
procedures and the type and frequency of
sampling and testing to insure that the concrete
produced complies with the specifications. The
supervising Engineer shall be provided free access
to recent plant production records, and if
requested informational copies of design,
materials certifications and sampling and resting
reports.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATION OF WORKMEN
Concrete Butcher The person performing the
batching of mixing operation, capable of
accurately conducting aggregate surface moisture
determinations and establishing correct scale
weight for concrete materials.
Concrete Technician The person responsible for
concrete production control and sampling and
testing for quality control proficient in concrete
technology having a sound knowledge of the
specifications as they relate to concrete
production. He shall be:
Capable of conducting test on concrete and
concrete materials in accordance with the
specifications.
Capable of adjusting concrete mix designs for
improving workability and specification
compliance and preparing trial mix design.
He shall be qualified to act as the concrete
batcher in the absence of the batcher.
PREPARATION OF GRADE
After the base or sub-grade have been
placed and compacted to the required density, the
areas that will support the paving machine and the
grade on which the pavement is to be constructed
should be trimmed to the proper elevation by
means of a properly designed machine extending
the work at least 60 cm beyond each edge of the
proposed concrete pavement.
If loss of density results from the trimming
operations, it should be restored by additional
compaction before concrete is placed. If any traffic
is allowed to use the prepared sub-grade or the
surface, it should be checked and corrected
immediately ahead of the placing of concrete. The
sub-grade or base should be uniformly moistened
when the concrete is placed.
Setting of Forms
1. Base Support The foundation under the
forms should be hard and true to grade, so
that the form when set will be firmly in
contact with its whole length at the
specified grade. Any roadbed, which is
below the established grade, should be
filled with approved granular materials to
grade in lifts of three centimeters or less,
and thoroughly re-rolled or tamped.
Imperfections or variations above the
grade should be corrected by tamping or
by cutting as necessary.
2. Grading and Alignment form shall be
set sufficiently advance from the point
where the concrete is being placed. After
setting to correct grade, the base is
thoroughly tamped, mechanically or by
hand, at both edge of the form base inside
and outside. The forms should not deviate
from the true line by more than one
centimeter at any point.
3. Grading and Alignment the alignment
and grade elevation of the forms should be
checked and corrections be made
immediately before the placing of concrete.
Prior to the placing of concrete, the crown
and elevation are verified by holding an
approved template in a vertical position
moving backward and forward on the
forms.
HANDLING, MEASURING AND BATCHING OF
MATERIALS
The batching plant and equivalent layout
must provide a smooth and flow of continuous
supply and transport of materials to the work.
Stockpiles are built up in layers of not more than
one meter in thickness with each layer completely
in place before beginning the next that should not
be allowed to cone down over the next lower
layer.
All washed aggregates and aggregate
produced or handled by hydraulic methods are
stockpiled or binned for draining at least twelve
hours before being batched.
The mixer should be charged without loss
of cement and batched material should be charged
without loss of cement and should be weighed for
each material required within a tolerance of 1% for
cement and 2% for aggregates. Water may be
measured by volume or by weight and the
accuracy of measuring water shall be within a
range of x > 1% error.
Mixing Concrete
The concrete may be mixed at the site, in a central
plant or by truck mixers of approved type and
capacity. Mixing time will be measured from the
time when all materials except water are already
inside the drum.
1. Ready mix concrete shall be mixed and
delivered in accordance with ASSHTO M-157
requirements, except that the minimum
required revolutions at the mixing speed for
transit mixed concrete may be reduced to not
less than that recommended by the mixers
manufacturer. The number of revolutions
recommended by the mixer manufacturer
should be indicated on a serial plate attached to
the mixer.
2. When mixing is done at the site or in a central
mixing plant, the mixing time should not be less
than 50 seconds nor more than 90 seconds,
unless mixing performance tests provide
adequate mixing of the concrete in a shorter
time period. Mixing time ends when the
discharge chute of the mixer opens. The
contents of the individual mixer drum shall be
removed completely before a succeeding batch
is loaded therein.
3. The volume of concrete mix per batch should
not exceed the mixers nominal capacity in cubic
meter, as indicated on the manufacturers
standard rating plate attached on the mixer
except that an overload up to 10 % above the
mixers normal capacity may be permitted
provided that concrete test data for strength,
segregation and uniform consistency are
satisfied and no spoilage of concrete should
take place.
4. The batches shall be charged into the drum with
a portion of the mixing water enter in advance
of the cement and aggregates. The flow of water
should be uniform that all water shall be inside
the drum at the end of the first 15 seconds of
the mixing period.
5. The throat of the drum shall be kept free of
concrete accumulation that may restrict the free
flow of materials into the drum.
6. Mixed concrete from the central mixing plant
shall be transported in truck mixers, truck
agitators, or non-agitating trucks. The time
elapsed from the time water is added to the
mix until the concrete is deposited in place at
the site shall not exceed 45 minutes when the
concrete is hauled in non-agitating trucks, nor
90 minutes when hauled in truck mixers or
truck agitators, except that in hot weather or
under conditions contributing to quick
hardening of concrete by the supervising
Engineer.
7. Re-tempering concrete by adding water or by
any other means shall not be permitted, except
that when concrete is delivered in truck mixers,
additional water may be added to the batch
materials and additional mixing is perform
increasing the slump to meet the requirements
if permitted by the Engineer, provided that all
these operations are performed within 45
minutes after the initial mixing operations and
the water cement ration is not exceeded.
Limitation of Mixing
No concrete should be mixed, placed or
finished, when natural light is insufficient, unless
an adequate and approved artificial lighting
system is operated.
PLACING OR DEPOSITING OF CONCRETE
Concrete is deposited in such a manner
requiring minimal re-handling. Unless truck mixers
or non-agitating hauling equipment are equipped
with a means to discharge concrete without
segregation of the materials, the concrete should
be unloaded inside the form in a manner to
prevent segregation of the particles.
1. Placing of concrete between transverse joints
without the use of intermediate bulkheads.
Necessary hand spreading shall be done with
shovels, not rakes. Workers are not allowed to
walk on.
2. Where concrete is to be placed adjoining a
previously constructed lane, and mechanical
equipment will be operated upon the existing
lane, that previously constructed lane must have
attained the strength for 14 day concrete. If
finishing equipment is carried on the existing
lane paving in adjoining lanes may be permitted
only after 3 days.
3. Vibrators should not be allowed to come in
contact with a joint assembly, grade or side
form. In no case it be operated longer than 15
seconds in any one location.
4. Concrete should be deposited as near as
possible to the expansion and contraction joints
without disturbing them, but should not be
dumped from the discharge bucket of hopper
into a joint assembly unless the hopper is well
centered on the joint assembly.
Concrete Joint
Concrete joints are constructed according
to the type, dimensions and at the locations as
indicated on plans or special provisions.
All joints should be protected from the
intrusion of injurious foreign materials until after
sealed.
Concrete Pavement Joints are classified into:
1. Longitudinal Joint
2. Transverse Joint
3. Transverse Contraction Joint
4. Longitudinal Contraction Joint
5. Load Transfer Device
Longitudinal Joint
1. Deformed steel bars or special length, size,
spacing and materials are placed perpendicular
to the longitudinal joints. Tie bar should not be
painted or coated with asphalt or other
materials or enclosed in tubes or sleeves.
2. Except those made of rail steel, tie bars maybe
bent at right angles against the form of the first
lane constructed and straightened into final
position before the concrete of the adjacent
lane is placed.
3. The longitudinal joints are sawed before the end
of the curing period or shortly thereafter and
before any equipment or vehicles are allowed
on the pavement. The sawed area should be
thoroughly cleaned and if required, the joint
should be filled immediately with sealer.
4. Longitudinal pavement insert type joints should
be formed by placing a continuous strip a
plastic material which will react adversely with
the chemical constituent of the concrete.
Transverse Expansion Joint
1. The expansion joint filler should be continuous
from form to form shaped to the sub-grade
and to the key-way along the form.
2. Pre-formed joint filler should be furnished in
lengths equal to the pavement width or to the
width of the lane.
3. Finished joint should not deviate more than
6mm from a straight line. If joint fillers are
assembled in sections, there should be no
offsets between adjacent units.
4. No plugs of concrete should be permitted
anywhere within the expansion space.
Transverse Contraction Joint
1. Transverse contraction joint is provided when
there is an interruption of more than 30 minutes
in the concreting operations.
2. No transverse should be located within 1.50
meters of an expansion joint, contraction joint,
plane or weakness.
3. If sufficient concrete has been mixed at the right
time of interruption to form a slab of at least
1.50 meters long the excess concrete from the
last preceding joint should be removed and
disposed of as directed.
Classification of Transverse Contraction Joint
a. Transverse Strip Contraction Joint is installing as
parting strip to be left in place as specified.
b. Formed Groove is installed by depressing an
approved tool or device into the plastic
concrete.
The tool or device remain in place at least until
the concrete has attained its initial set, and to be
removed without disturbing the adjacent
concrete.
c. Sawed Contraction Joint is made by sawing
groove in the surface of the pavement. Sawing
is done as soon as the concrete hardened
sufficiently to permit sawing without excessive
raveling, and the time is usually within 24 hours
i. Joints are sewed before uncontrolled
shrinkage cracking takes place.
ii. If necessary, the sawing operations should
be carried during the day or night
regardless of weather conditions.
 iii. The sawing of any joint is omitted if crack 25.0 32 45 30
occurs at or near the joint prior to the time
27.5 32 45 30
of sawing.
iv. Sawing should be discontinued when crack 30.0 32 45 30
develops ahead of the saw. In General, all
Source: AASHTO Interim Guide and proposed
joints should be sawed in sequence.
revision 1980
v. If extreme condition exists making it
impractical to prevent erratic cracking by
early sawing, the contraction joint groove is
REMOVAL OF FORMS
formed prior to the initial setting of
concrete. Forms for concrete pavement should
remain in place undisturbed within 24 hours after
Load Transfer Device
pouring. The removal could be done as follows:
Load transfer device is provided along the
1. Crowbars are used in removing forms,
longitudinal centerline of the pavement either by
pulling out nails and pins but care should
tongue and groove concrete or by steel dowels
be exercised not to break the pavement
under the following considerations:
edges.
1. When dowel is used, it should be held in 2. In case a portion of the concrete slab is
position parallel to the surface and centerline of spelled off, it should be repaired
the slab by a metal device that is left embedded immediately with fresh mortar mixture of
in the pavement. 1:2.
2. The portion of each dowel painted with one 3. Major honeycombed area will be
coat of lead or tar should be thoroughly coated considered as defective work, to be
with an approved bituminous material or an removed and replaced.
approved lubricant, to prevent the concrete
from binding to the portion of dowel.
3. The sleeves for dowel should be metal, design Protection of Pavement
to cover 50 mm plus or minus 5mm of the
Concrete pavement and its appurtenances
dowels with a water tight closed end with a
should be protected against public traffic, and
suitable stop to hold the end of the sleeves at
traffic caused by the workers. Protection of the
least 25 mm from the end of the dowel.
pavement includes the posting of watchmen to
4. In lieu of using dowel assemblies at contraction
direct traffic and the posting and maintenance of
joints, dowels may be place in the full thickness
warning signs, lights, pavement bridges or
of the pavement by a mechanical device
crossovers, etc. Any damage to the pavement prior
approved by the Engineer.
to the final acceptance of the work shall be
RECOMMENDED DIMENSION OF DOWEL FOR repaired or replaced depending upon the extent of
CONCRETE PAVEMENT the damaged.

Pavement Dowel Dowel Dowel

Thickness Diameter Length Spacing
(cm) (mm) (cm) (cm)
15.0 20 45 30

17.5 25 45 30

20.0 25 45 30

22.5 32 45 30