SESSION 7

Joint Design
 Objectives

 Identify types of joints

 Determine suitable joint spacings
 Determine load transfer requirements
 Develop joint reservoir designs
 Define tie bar requirements for
longitudinal joints
 Types of Joints

 Contraction joint
 Construction joint
 Expansion joint
 Joint Type?

Butt Joint

Dowel or
Slab Tie Bar
Thickness

Construction Joint
(transverse or longitudinal)
 Joint Type?

Initial
Sawcut
Dowel Bar
Slab or Tie Bar
Thickness

Contraction Joint
(transverse or longitudinal)
 Joint Type?

Expansion Joint
with Filler Material

Dowel Bar
Slab
Thickness

Expansion
Joint
Elements of Joint Design

 Transverse joints
 Joint spacing
 Load transfer design
 Sealant reservoir design
 Longitudinal joints
 Tie bar design
 JPCP Joint Spacing

 Short enough to prevent mid-slab cracking

 Intricately linked with:
 Slab thickness
 Base support
 Climatic conditions
 Generally between 3.6 and 6.1 m (12 and
20 ft)
 Example Joint
Spacing Guidelines
Wet-Freeze/Dry Freeze
20
Max. Joint Spacing, ft

18

16

14

12
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Slab Thickness, in

k = 75 psi/in k = 150 psi/in k = 300 psi/in

 Uniformity of Joint
Spacing
 Uniform joint spacing
 Joints spaced at fixed intervals
 Variable joint spacing
 3 or 4 joint spacings in a repeating
pattern, e.g., 3.7 - 4.6 - 4.0 - 4.3 m
(12 -15 - 13 - 14 ft)
 Intended to reduce rhythmic response
of vehicles
 Joint Orientation

 Perpendicular
 Joints perpendicular to centerline
 Skewed
 Joints placed at an angle to pavement
centerline (counterclockwise skew)
 May be beneficial for nondoweled
joints
 Limit skew to minimize corner breaks
(maximum 1:10)
Example Variable Spacing
and Skewed Joints

Traffic

10 Traffic

1
3.6 m 4.6 m 4.0 m 4.3 m
(12 ft) (15 ft) (13 ft) (14 ft)
Skewed Joints
Load
Transfer
 Ability of joint to convey wheel load
from one side to the next
 Reduces deflections
 Reduces pumping, faulting
 Methods
 Dowels
 Aggregate interlock
 Load Transfer
Illustration
0% Load
Transfer Wheel
Load Direction of Traffic

Approach Slab Leave Slab

Unloaded
LT =
100% Loaded
Load Wheel
Transfer Load Direction of Traffic

Approach Slab Leave

Slab
Load Transfer
Recommendations
 Dowels recommended for most
highway pavements (slab thickness >
200 mm [8 in])
 Minimum 32 mm diameter (38 mm
preferred)
 Corrosion inhibitor required
 Dowel Layout

Conventional Spacing

Traffic Traffic

Inner Traffic Lane Outer Traffic Lane

12 dowels @ 0.3 m 12 dowels @ 0.3 m

(1 ft) center to center (1 ft) center to center
 Alternative Dowel Layout

Cluster Spacing

Traffic Traffic

Inner Traffic Lane Outer Traffic Lane

4 dowels @ 0.3 m 5 dowels @ 0.3 m

(1 ft) center to center (1 ft) center to center
 Joint Sealing and
Reservoir Design
 Purposes of joint sealing
 Reduce moisture infiltration
 Keep out incompressibles
 Cost-effectiveness of sealing?
 Consideration Factors

 New or rehabilitation design

 Climate
 Joint design
 Base and subgrade type and
drainability
 Local experience
 Others?
 Joint Channel Design

 Unsealed joints
 Crack control
sawcut (3
mm [1/8 in]
 Joint Channel Design
(continued)
 Sealed joints
 Crack control sawcut (3 mm [1/8 in])
 Joint reservoir sawcut (typ. 10 to 15
mm [0.4 to 0.6 in] wide)
 Joint Reservoir Sawcut
Reservoir
Widening Cut

Depth of
Widening Cut
(25 to 38 mm)
(1 to 1.5 in)
Crack
Control
Sawcut
Joint Reservoir Design

 Selection of sealant material

 Estimation of joint movements
 Determination of required joint width
 Sealant Materials

 Rubberized asphalt (ASTM D3405)

 Silicone
 Preformed compression seals
 Placed in state of compression
 Must be compressed 20 to 50% of
normal width over service life
 Joint Reservoir
Width

3 to 6 mm
Depth
(1/8 to 1/4 in) Recess
Backer
Joint
Rod
Sealant

Shape Factor = W / D
 Example Compression
Seal Installation
Compressed Width

Preformed Reservoir
Compression Depth
Seal
 Estimating Joint Movements
 L = C L ( T + )
L = Joint opening, in
C = Adj. factor (0.8 gran. base, 0.65 stab.)
L = Joint spacing, in
 = Thermal coef. of expansion (3.8 to
6.6 x 10-6), in/in/oF
T = Temperature range, oF
 = Drying shrinkage coefficient (2 to
8 x 10-4), in/in
 Required Joint Reservoir
 Hot-poured/silicone sealants
 Required joint width
W = L / S
W = Required joint width
L = Joint opening
S = Allowable sealant strain
 Required sealant depth
Apply proper shape factors
 Required Joint Reservoir
(continued)
 Compression seals
 Select uncompressed seal width
USW > L / (Cmax - Cmin)
Cmax = 0.5 (typ); Cmin = 0.2 (typ)
 Determine width of sawcut
W = (1 - Pc) * USW
Pc = % of compression at installation
 Longitudinal Joint Design

 Contraction (sawed) joints

 Between lanes or between lane - shoulder
 Adequate sawing depth/timing
 Effective tie bar system
 Construction (butt) joint
 Commonly between lane and shoulder
 Effective tie bar system
 Longitudinal Contraction
Joint

Mainline Mainline Pavement

Pavement or PCC Shoulder
D/3 Joint Formed
D/2 by Sawing
D
Deformed Tie Bar
(Minimum No. 5 Bar)
 Longitudinal Construction
Joint

Mainline PCC
Pavement Shoulder

D/2 Butt Joint

D
Possible Deformed Tie Bar
Key Way (Minimum No. 5 Bar)
 Summary

 Joint types
 Joint spacing guidelines
 Load transfer recommendations
 Joint sealant system
 Longitudinal joint requirements