CHAPTER 5

CONSTRUCTION OF RIGID
PAVEMENT

RIGID PAVEMENT
INTRODUCTION
1. Concrete slab on top of base course.
2. Rigid due to its nature to not deflect under a traffic load.
3. Concrete slab constructed in rectangular segment.
4. Thickness depends on design load but tipically around
150mm-300mm with concrete grade of 20, 25 or 40.
5. High initial cost but long lifespan and low maintainance
frequency.

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RIGID PAVEMENT

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RIGID
VS FLEXIBLE

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RIGID PAVEMENT
MATERIALS
1. Concrete
2. Reinforcement (rebar)
3. Waterproof layer.
4. Joint
5. Joint filler/sealer

6. Additive.
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RIGID PAVEMENT
ADVANTAGES
1. Rigid (not bend when load is applied)
2. Provide excellent smooth surface for driving.
3. Can deal with very heavy traffic.
4. Considering their life span, maintenance cost etc, its
cheaper than bituminous roads.
5. Long life span.
6. Can be used as base course after end of life span.

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RIGID PAVEMENT
ADVANTAGES
7. Doesnt require aggregates and cement heating .
8. Working with cement concrete is much easier and safer

than with bituminous materials.

9. In high class cement concrete road heavy rollers are not
required for compaction.
10.Satisfactory performance poor types sub grades.
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RIGID PAVEMENT
DISADVANTAGES
1. High initial investment.
2. Lots of joints means lots of weak spot.
3. 28 days curing is required after completion before they
can be opened to traffic.
4. The surface will wear after sometime and become
slippery.
5. Produce loud noise when vehicle passing.

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RIGID PAVEMENT
TYPES
1. Mass concrete / UnReinforced Concrete (URC)
2. Joined reinforced concrete (JRC)
3. Continuous reinforced concrete (CRCP)
4. Pre-stress concrete (PSC)

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URC
1. Unreinforced mass concrete
pavements consist of a
system of rectangular panels
connected together by
transverse and longitudinal
joints.
2. A concrete slab without

reinforcement steel

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URC
3. Have a transverse connection every 5 m to prevent
cracking

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URC modes of failure

4. The typical crack patterns found in a URC pavement are
corner breaks and longitudinal cracks.

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JRC
1. Jointed Reinforced
Concrete Pavements
(JRCP) contain steel mesh
reinforcement
2. Constructed in a similar
manner to URC
pavements.
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JRC
2. The reinforcement provides two functions;
i.

Controls cracking

ii. Holds joints tightly closed

3. Reinforced concrete slabs are frequently used in place

of mass concrete when:
i. pavement could be subjected to large unplanned loadings;
ii. sub grade strength is weak or ill- dened.
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JRC modes of failure

1. JRC crack and degrade in a similar manner to URC
pavements except the pavement is more tolerant to
cracking.
2. Poorly placed reinforcement.
3. Long slab systems are less reliable than short slab systems
as they are more likely to suffer from mid-panel cracking.
joint sealant problems and consequent erosion of sub-base.
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JRC
Typical JRC spec for long slab and short slab

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CRCP
1. CRCP is a type of Portland cement concrete pavement
reinforced with steel rebars throughout its length.
2. Do not require any transverse contraction joints.

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CRCP
3. May cost slightly more than JRC or URC due to
increased quantities of steel but design thinner than
URC.

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CRCP modes of failure

1. Transverse cracks are expected in the slab, at 11.5 m
intervals
2. Punch-outs; caused by excessive wheel loading
applications and insufficient structural capacity
3. Spalling; breaking, chipping, or fraying of concrete at the

cracks.
4. Steel corrosion & rupture across transverse cracks.

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CRCP modes of failure

PUNCH OUT

SPALLING

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PSC
1. Precast pavement components are fabricated or
assembled offsite, transported to the project site, and
installed on a prepared foundation.
2. Compressive stress is induced in longitudinal and
transverse directions prior to the application of a live
load.
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PSC
3. Pavements may be pre-stressed using :
i.

Pre-tensioning; tendons are stressed BEFORE

concrete placement

ii. Post-tensioning: tendons are installed before concrete

placement and stressed AFTER concrete placement.

4. Require minimal field curing time to achieve strength

before opening to traffic.
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PSC placement

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PSC modes of failure

1. Temperature gradients cause the ends of the slab to curl
upward or downward.
2. Moisture gradient will cause upward warping of the ends
of the slab
3. Pre-stress losses; Elastic shortening of the concrete,

relaxation of the stressing tendons.

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PSC modes of failure

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METHODS OF PAVING RIGID

PAVEMENT
RIGID PAVEMENT
CONSTRUCTION

MANUAL

MECHANICAL

FIXED FORM PAVER

SLIP FORM PAVER

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MANUAL METHOD
1. Prepare base course
2. Side form constructed
3. Hand place reinforcing bar (for JRC & CRCP)
i.

Transverse Bar (supported by chair)

ii. Longitudinal Bar

iii. Tying LB to TB

4. Place dowel bar (for URC & JRC).

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MANUAL METHOD
5. Place concrete (PCC)
6. PCC consolidation.
7. Place tie bars (for URC and JRC)

8. Finishing
9. PCC curing.

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METHODS OF PAVING RIGID

PAVEMENT

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FIXED FORM PAVER

1. Fixed form function as;
i.

Concrete retainer

ii. Paver machine support

iii. Route alignment for paver machine.

2. Spreading, compacting and finishing of concrete

performed by paver machine.

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TYPICAL TYPES OF MACHINERY USED

IN A FIXED-FORM PAVING TRAIN
1. Feeder ; receives concrete
2. Spreader ; distributes the concrete
3. Rotary strike off paddles and compaction beams ;

regulate the concrete by trimming and vibrate its surface.

4. Dowel/tie-bar placers; place these elements in appropriate

joints either manually or by vibration.

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TYPICAL TYPES OF MACHINERY USED

IN A FIXED-FORM PAVING TRAIN
5. Feeder ; Joint groove formers and nishers grooves
formed by a knife travelling within the plastic concrete.
6. Final nishing equipment additional compaction and
regulation of concrete after dowel and tie-bars have been
put in place.

7. Curing compound sprayer

8. Protective tentage.

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FIXED FORM PAVER

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FIXED FORM PAVER

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FIXED FORM PAVER

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SLIP FORM PAVER

1. Paver machine provide mobile side forms.
2. PCC placement, consolidation, finishing and curing
performed within the leghth of paver.

3. The paver movement, alignment and gradient controlled

by sensor .

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SLIP FORM PAVER

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JOINTS IN RIGID PAVEMENTS

1. To allow for movement caused by changes in moisture
content and slab temperature.
2. Transverse joints across the pavement permit the release
of shrinkage and temperature stresses.
3. Longitudinal joints, deal with induced stresses across

the width of the pavement.

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS
1. There are four main types of transverse joints:
i.

Contraction joints

ii. Expansion joints

iii. Warping joints

iv. Construction joints.

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS
2. Contraction & Expansion joints;
i.

Contraction occurs when water is lost or temperatures

drop.

ii. Expansion occurs when water is absorbed or the

temperature rises.
iii. The joints permit movement to happen.

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS
3. Warping joints;
i.

required in plain unreinforced concrete slabs only.

ii. permit small angular movements to occur between

adjacent concrete slabs.

iii. Warping stresses are very likely to occur in long narrow
slabs.

iv. tie-bars used to restrict any widening and hold the

sides together

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS
4. Construction joints;
i.

Construction is normally organised so that work on any

given day ends at the location of an intended contraction

or expansion joint.
ii. If its not possible, a construction joint can be used.
iii. No relative movement is permitted across the joint.

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TRANSVERSE JOINTS

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LONGITUDINAL JOINTS
1. Longitudinal joints may also be required to counteract

the effects of warping along the length of the slab.

2. Theyre broadly similar in layout to transverse
warping joints.

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URC

1. Crack Control: Contraction joints, both transverse and longitudinal

2. Joint Spacing: Typically between 3.7 m and 6.1 m.
3. Reinforcing Steel: None
4. Load Transfer: Aggregate interlock and dowel bars.
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JRCP

1. Crack Control: Contraction joints as well as reinforcing steel.

2. Joint Spacing: Longer than JPCP and up to a maximum of about 15 m
3. Reinforcing Steel: A minimal amount is included mid-slab to hold cracks tightly
together. can be in the form of deformed reinforcing bars or a thick wire mesh

4. Load Transfer: Dowel bars and reinforcing steel. Dowel bars assist in load transfer
across transverse joints while reinforcing steel assists in load transfer across mid-panel
cracks.

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CRCP

1.

Crack Control: Reinforcing steel

2.

Joint Spacing: Not applicable.

3.

Reinforcing Steel: Typically about 0.6 - 0.7 percent by cross-sectional area.

4.

Load Transfer: Reinforcing steel, typically No. 5 or 6 bars, grade 60.

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50

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