Question 9.

Create a plot for maximum stress in the slab versus slab thickness for the following thickness: 5 , 10 , 15 , and 20. and discuss result. Solution: Values obtained from KENPAVE are tabulated , for different thickness. Variation of Stress with thickness of slab Thickness Max Stress 5 -362.082 10 -133.923 15 -71.118 20 -43.622 The tabulated values were plotted in excel and plot looks like as shown below.

Maximum Stress vs Thickness

Thickness (in inches) 0 -50 -100 0 5 10 15 20 25

Stress (psi)

-150 max stress (psi) -200 -250 -300 -350 -400

As observed from the graph, as the thickness of slab increases, the magnitude of stress decreases. Here, negative sign indicates the tension. So, the result seems in coherence of what, is intuitively absorbed i.e. the as thickness increases , the stresses decreases , so as a solution for decreasing stresses, increase in thickness can always be considered as an option.