Evaluation of Precast Portland Cement Concrete Panels for Airfield Pavement Repairs
Abstract
During the period November 2011 through August 2013, research was conducted to develop a precast panel repair system suitable for airfield pavement repairs. This investigation included the selection and refinement of a precast panel system, fabrication of precast panels, timed repair activities, and accelerated pavement testing. Simulated C-17 traffic was applied to three repair surfaces of various sizes to determine whether the precast panel repairs were suitable for emergency or contingency airfield operations. This report presents the description of the process for selection and modification of a precast system, results of accelerated pavement testing including the passes-to-failure, surface deterioration, load transfer efficiencies, deflections, stress-strain measurements during trafficking, and three-dimensional finite element analyses. Results indicated that the repairs were capable of supporting anticipated contingency pass levels defined by the U.S. Air Force, but the precast panel system s dowel diameter should be increased to reduce stresses, decrease foreign object damage potential, and improve repair performance. Finally, the precast repair technology was compared to other expedient repair techniques in terms of repair speed, performance, and cost. Compared to other methods, the precast panel repair alternative provided similar return-to-service timelines and traffic performance at a slightly higher cost. Modifications to the system design and placement procedures are also recommended to improve the field performance of the panels.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA618138
Entities
People
- Lucy P. Priddy
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center