Transportation Systems Engineering 15.

Rigid pavement design

Chapter 15

Rigid pavement design

15.1 Overview
As the name implies, rigid pavements are rigid i.e, they do not flex much under loading like
flexible pavements. They are constructed using cement concrete. In this case, the load carrying
capacity is mainly due to the rigidity ad high modulus of elasticity of the slab (slab action).
H. M. Westergaard is considered the pioneer in providing the rational treatment of the rigid
pavement analysis.

15.1.1 Modulus of sub-grade reaction

Westergaard considered the rigid pavement slab as a thin elastic plate resting on soil sub-grade,
which is assumed as a dense liquid. The upward reaction is assumed to be proportional to the
deflection. Base on this assumption, Westergaard defined a modulus of sub-grade reaction K
in kg/cm3 given by K = ∆p where ∆ is the displacement level taken as 0.125 cm and p is the
pressure sustained by the rigid plate of 75 cm diameter at a deflection of 0.125 cm.

15.1.2 Relative stiffness of slab to sub-grade

A certain degree of resistance to slab deflection is offered by the sub-grade. The sub-grade
deformation is same as the slab deflection. Hence the slab deflection is direct measurement
of the magnitude of the sub-grade pressure. This pressure deformation characteristics of rigid
pavement lead Westergaard to the define the term radius of relative stiffness l in cm is given
by the equation 15.1. v
Eh3
u
u
l=t 4
(15.1)
12K(1 − µ2 )
where E is the modulus of elasticity of cement concrete in kg/cm2 (3.0×105 ), µ is the Poisson’s
ratio of concrete (0.15), h is the slab thickness in cm and K is the modulus of sub-grade reaction.

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

15.1.3 Critical load positions

Since the pavement slab has finite length and width, either the character or the intensity of
maximum stress induced by the application of a given traffic load is dependent on the location
of the load on the pavement surface. There are three typical locations namely the interior,
edge and corner, where differing conditions of slab continuity exist. These locations are termed
as critical load positions.

15.1.4 Equivalent radius of resisting section

When the interior point is loaded, only a small area of the pavement is resisting the bending
moment of the plate. Westergaard’s gives a relation for equivalent radius of the resisting section
in cm in the equation 15.2.
 √
 1.6a2 + h2 − 0.675 h if a < 1.724 h
b= (15.2)
 a otherwise

where a is the radius of the wheel load distribution in cm and h is the slab thickness in cm.

15.2 Wheel load stresses - Westergaard’s stress equation

The cement concrete slab is assumed to be homogeneous and to have uniform elastic properties
with vertical sub-grade reaction being proportional to the deflection. Westergaard developed
relationships for the stress at interior, edge and corner regions, denoted as σi , σe , σc in kg/cm2
respectively and given by the equation 15.3-15.5.
" ! #
0.316 P l
σi = 2
4 log10 + 1.069 (15.3)
h b
" ! #
0.572 P l
σe = 4 log 10 + 0.359 (15.4)
h2 b
 √ !0.6 
3P a 2
σc = 2  1 −  (15.5)
h l
where h is the slab thickness in cm, P is the wheel load in kg, a is the radius of the wheel load
distribution in cm, l the radius of the relative stiffness in cm and b is the radius of the resisting
section in cm

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design
 


 
 









 
 












  








 



 









σe
σc

Tension at Bottom Tension at Top

 


 
 



 
 



  



 

σi

Tension at Bottom

Figure 15:1: Critical stress locations

15.3 Temperature stresses

Temperature stresses are developed in cement concrete pavement due to variation in slab tem-
perature. This is caused by (i) daily variation resulting in a temperature gradient across the
thickness of the slab and (ii) seasonal variation resulting in overall change in the slab temper-
ature. The former results in warping stresses and the later in frictional stresses.

15.3.1 Warping stress

The warping stress at the interior, edge and corner regions, denoted as σti , σte , σtc in kg/cm2
respectively and given by the equation 15.7-15.8.
!
Et Cx + µCy
σt i = (15.6)
2 1 − µ2

Cx Et Cy Et
 
σte = Max , (15.7)
2 2
Et a
r
σt c = (15.8)
3(1 − µ) l
where E is the modulus of elasticity of concrete in kg/cm2 (3×105 ),  is the thermal coefficient
of concrete per o C (1×10−7 ) t is the temperature difference between the top and bottom of the
slab, Cx and Cy are the coefficient based on Lx /l in the desired direction and Ly /l right angle
to the desired direction, µ is the Poisson’s ration (0.15), a is the radius of the contact area and
l is the radius of the relative stiffness.

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

15.3.2 Frictional stresses

The frictional stress σf in kg/cm2 is given by the equation

W Lf
σf = (15.9)
2 × 104
where W is the unit weight of concrete in kg/cm2 (2400), f is the coefficient of sub grade
friction (1.5) and L is the length of the slab in meters.

15.4 Combination of stresses

The cumulative effect of the different stress give rise to the following thee critical cases

• Summer, mid-day: The critical stress is for edge region given by σcritical = σe + σte − σf

• Winter, mid-day: The critical combination of stress is for the edge region given by
σcritical = σe + σte + σf

• Mid-nights: The critical combination of stress is for the corner region given by σcritical =
σc + σ t c

15.5 Design of joints

15.5.1 Expansion joints
The purpose of the expansion joint is to allow the expansion of the pavement due to rise in
temperature with respect to construction temperature. The design consideration are:

• Provided along the longitudinal direction,

• design involves finding the joint spacing for a given expansion joint thickness (say 2.5 cm
specified by IRC) subjected to some maximum spacing (say 140 as per IRC)

15.5.2 Contraction joints

The purpose of the contraction joint is to allow the contraction of the slab due to fall in slab
temperature below the construction temperature. The design considerations are:

• The movement is restricted by the sub-grade friction

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

Filler

h/2

No bond Full bond

Figure 15:2: Expansion joint

• Design involves the length of the slab given by:

2 × 104 Sc
Lc = (15.10)
W.f

where, Sc is the allowable stress in tension in cement concrete and is taken as 0.8 kg/cm2 ,
W is the unit weight of the concrete which can be taken as 2400 kg/cm3 and f is the
coefficient of sub-grade friction which can be taken as 1.5.

• Steel reinforcements can be use, however with a maximum spacing of 4.5 m as per IRC.

Filler

h/2

Full bond Full bond

Figure 15:3: Contraction joint

15.5.3 Dowel bars

The purpose of the dowel bar is to effectively transfer the load between two concrete slabs and
to keep the two slabs in same height. The dowel bars are provided in the direction of the traffic
(longitudinal). The design considerations are:

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

• Mild steel rounded bars,

• bonded on one side and free on other side

Bradbury’s analysis

Bradbury’s analysis gives load transfer capacity of single dowel bar in shear, bending and
bearing as follows:

Ps = 0.785 d2 Fs (15.11)
2 d 3 Ff
Pf = (15.12)
Ld + 8.8δ
Fb L2d d
Pb = (15.13)
12.5 (Ld + 1.5δ)
where, P is the load transfer capacity of a single dowel bar in shear s, bending f and bearing
b, d is the diameter of the bar in cm, Ld is the length of the embedment of dowel bar in cm, δ
is the joint width in cm, Fs , F f, Fb are the permissible stress in shear, bending and bearing
for the dowel bar in kg/cm2 .

Design procedure

Step 1 Find the length of the dowel bar embedded in slab Ld by equating Eq. 15.12=Eq. 15.13,
i.e. v
u Ff (Ld + 1.5δ)
u
Ld = 5d t (15.14)
Fb (Ld + 8.8δ)
Step 2 Find the load transfer capacities Ps , Pf , and Pb of single dowel bar with the Ld

Step 3 Assume load capacity of dowel bar is 40 percent wheel load, find the load capacity
factor f as ( )
0.4P 0.4P 0.4P
max , , (15.15)
Ps Pf Pb
Step 4 Spacing of the dowel bars.

• Effective distance upto which effective load transfer take place is given by 1.8 l,
where l is the radius of relative stiffness.
• Assume a linear variation of capacity factor of 1.0 under load to 0 at 1.8 l.
• Assume a dowel spacing and find the capacity factor of the above spacing.
• Actual capacity factor should be greater than the required capacity factor.
• If not, do one more iteration with new spacing.

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

Example

Design size and spacing of dowel bars at an expansion joint of concrete pavement of thickness
25 cm. Given the radius of relative stiffness of 80 cm. design wheel load 5000 kg. Load
capacity of the dowel system is 40 percent of design wheel load. Joint width is 2.0 cm and
the permissible stress in shear, bending and bearing stress in dowel bars are 1000,1400 and 100
kg/cm2 respectively.

Solution: Given, P = 5000 kg, l = 80 cm, h = 25 cm, δ = 2 cm, Fs = 1000 kg/cm2 ,

Ff = 1400 kg/cm2 and Fb = 100 kg/cm2 ; and assume d = 2.5 cm diameter.
Step-1: length of the dowel bar Ld
v
u 1400 (Ld + 1.5 × 2)
u
Ld = 5 × 2.5 t
100 (Ld + 8.8 × 2)
v
(Ld + 3)
u
u
= 12.5 × t14
(Ld + 17.6)

Solve for Ld by trial and error:

put Ld = 45.00 ⇒ Ld = 40.95
put Ld = 45.95 ⇒ Ld = 40.50
put Ld = 45.50 ⇒ Ld = 40.50
Minimum length of the dowel bar is Ld + δ = 40.5 + 2.0 = 42.5 cm, So, provide 45 cm long
and 2.5 cm φ. Therefore Ld = 45 − 2 = 43 cm.
Step 2: Find the load transfer capacity of single dowel bar

Ps = 0.785 × 2.52 × 1000 = 4906 kg

2×2.53 ×1400
Pf = 43.0+8.8×2
= 722 kg
100×2.5×43.02
Pb = 12.5 (43.0+1.5×2)
= 804 kg

Therefore, the required load transfer capacity

0.4 × 5000 0.4 × 5000 0.4 × 5000
 
max , ,
4906 722 804
max {0.41, 2.77, 2.487} = 2.77

Step-3 : Find the required spacing: Effective distance of load transfer = 1.8 l = 1.8 ×
80 = 144 cm. Assuming 35 cm spacing,

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

Actual capacity is
144 − 35 144 − 70 144 − 105 144 − 140
1+ + + +
144 144 144 144
= 2.57 < 2.77 (the required capacity)

Therefore assume 30 cm spacing and now the actual capacity is

144 − 30 144 − 60 144 − 90 144 − 120

1+ + + +
144 144 144 144
= 2.92 > 2.77 (the required capacity)

Therefore provide 2.5 cm φ mild steel dowel bars of length 45 cm @ 30 cm center to center.

15.5.4 Tie bars

In contrast to dowel bars, tie bars are not load transfer devices, but serve as a means to tie
two slabs. Hence tie bars must be deformed or hooked and must be firmly anchored into the
concrete to function properly. They are smaller than dowel bars and placed at large intervals.
They are provided across longitudinal joints.

Step 1 Diameter and spacing: The diameter and the spacing is first found out by equating
the total sub-grade friction tot he total tensile stress for a unit length (one meter). Hence
the area of steel per one meter in cm2 is given by:

As × S s = b × h × W × f
bhW f
As = (15.16)
100Ss
where, b is the width of the pavement panel in m, h is the depth of the pavement in cm,
W is the unit weight of the concrete (assume 2400 kg/cm2 ), f is the coefficient of friction
(assume 1.5), and Ss is the allowable working tensile stress in steel (assume 1750 kg/cm2 ).
Assume 0.8 to 1.5 cm φ bars for the design.

Step 2 Length of the tie bar: Length of the tie bar is twice the length needed to develop bond
stress equal to the working tensile stress and is given by:
d Ss
Lt = (15.17)
2 Sb
where, d is the diameter of the bar, Ss is the allowable tensile stress in kg/cm2 , and Sb is
the allowable bond stress and can be assumed for plain and deformed bars respectively
as 17.5 and 24.6 kg/cm2 .

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

Example

A cement concrete pavement of thickness 18 cm, has two lanes of 7.2 m with a joint. Design
the tie bars.

(Solution:)
Given h=18 cm, b=7.2/2=3.6m, Ss = 1700 kg/cm2 W = 2400 kg/cm2 f = 1.5 Sb =
24.6 kg/cm2 .

Step 1: diameter and spacing: Get As from

3.6 × 18 × 2400 × 1.5
As = = 1.33 cm2 /m
100 × 1750
100×0.785
Assume φ = 1 cm, ⇒ A = 0.785 cm2 . Therefore spacing is 1.33
= 59 cm, say 55 cm

Step 2: Length of the bar: Get Lt from

1 × 1750
Lt = = 36.0 cm
2 246
[Ans] Use 1 cm φ tie bars of length of 36 cmi @ 55 cm c/c

15.6 Summary
Design of rigid pavements is based on Westergaard’s analysis, where modulus of subgrade
reaction, radius of relative stiffness, radius of wheel load distribution are used. For critical
design, a combination of load stress, frictional stress and warping stress is considered. Different
types of joints are required like expansion and contraction joints. Their design is also dealt
with.

15.7 Problems
1. Design size and spacing of dowel bars at an expansion joint of concrete pavement of
thickness 20 cm. Given the radius of relative stiffness of 90 cm. design wheel load
4000 kg. Load capacity of the dowel system is 40 percent of design wheel load. Joint
width is 3.0 cm and the permissible stress in shear, bending and bearing stress in dowel
bars are 1000,1500 and 100 kg/cm2 respectively.

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

2. Design the length and spacing of tie bars given that the pavement thickness is 20cm and
width of the road is 7m with one longitudinal joint. The unit weight of concrete is 2400
kg/m3 , the coefficient of friction is 1.5, allowable working tensile stress in steel is 1750
kg/cm2 , and bond stress of deformed bars is 24.6 kg/cm2 .

15.8 Solutions
1. Given, P = 4000 kg, l = 90 cm, h = 20 cm, δ = 3 cm, Fs = 1000 kg/cm2 , Ff =
1500 kg/cm2 and Fb = 100 kg/cm2 ; and assume d = 2.5 cm diameter.
Step-1: length of the dowel bar Ld ,
v
u 1500 (Ld + 1.5 × 3)
u
Ld = 5 × 2.5 t
100 (Ld + 8.8 × 3)
v
(Ld + 4.5)
u
u
= 12.5 × t15
(Ld + 26.4)

Solving for Ld by trial and error, it is =39.5cm Minimum length of the dowel bar is
Ld + δ = 39.5 + 3.0 = 42.5 cm, So, provide 45 cm long and 2.5 cm φ. Therefore
Ld = 45 − 3 = 42 cm.
Step 2: Find the load transfer capacity of single dowel bar

Ps = 0.785 × 2.52 × 1000 = 4906.25 kg

2×2.53 ×1500
Pf = 42.0+8.8×3
= 685.307 kg
100×2.5×42.02
Pb = 12.5 (42.0+1.5×3)
= 758.71 kg

Therefore, the required load transfer capacity (refer equation)

0.4 × 4000 0.4 × 4000 0.4 × 4000
 
max , ,
4906.25 685.307 758.71
max {0.326, 2.335, 2.10} = 2.335

Step-3 : Find the required spacing: Effective distance of load transfer = 1.8 × l = 1.8 ×
90 = 162 cm. Assuming 35 cm spacing,
Actual capacity is
162 − 35 162 − 70 162 − 105 162 − 140
1+ + + +
162 162 162 162
= 2.83

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Transportation Systems Engineering 15. Rigid pavement design

Assuming 40cm spacing, capacity is,

162 − 40 162 − 80 162 − 120 162 − 160
1+ + + +
162 162 162 162
= 2.52

So we should consider 2.52¿2.335 as it is greater and more near to other value. Therefore
provide 2.5 cm φ mild steel dowel bars of length 45 cm @ 40 cm center to center.

2. 2.Given h=20 cm, b=7/2=3.5m, Ss = 1750 kg/cm2 W = 2400 kg/cm2 f = 1.5 Sb =

24.6 kg/cm2 .

Step 1: diameter and spacing:

3.5 × 20 × 2400 × 1.5
As = = 1.44 cm2 /m
100 × 1750
100×0.785
Assume φ = 1 cm, ⇒ A = 0.785 cm2 . Therefore spacing is 1.44
= 54.57 cm, say
55 cm

Step 2: Length of the bar:

1 × 1750
Lt = = 36.0 cm
2 × 24.6
[Ans] Use 1 cm φ tie bars of length of 36 cm @ 55 cm c/c

Dr. Tom V. Mathew, IIT Bombay 11 August 4, 2009