CRCP DESIGN MAIN NOTE.docx

7/23/2019 CRCP DESIGN MAIN NOTE.docx

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/crcp-design-main-notedocx 1/20

Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) Design and Construction Guide

1.0 PURPOS O! "#$S GU$D

The purpose of this Guide is to provide Caltrans and consultant pavement engineers with a

uniform, streamlined process for designing continuously reinforced concrete pavements onCaltrans-approved projects. The Guide also addresses related topics that the pavement engineer

needs for making effective pavement decisions. As a part of this guide, appropriate figures were

obtained from Concrete einforcing !teel "nstitute #C!"$. eferences used are superscripted in

the document and are listed in !ection %%.

%.0 DSCR$P"$O&

A Continuously einforced Concrete &avement #CC&$ is one type of rigid pavement, also

referred to as &ortland Cement Concrete &avement #&CC&$ with reinforcing steel and no

transverse joints. CC&s are reinforced in the longitudinal direction, and additional steel is also

used in the transverse direction to hold the longitudinal steel in place #see 'igure %$. The

longitudinal bars are lap spliced so that continuity of the steel is maintained, ensuring good

performance of the pavement #see !ection (.).% for this topic$. *ue to the continuous

reinforcement in the longitudinal direction, the pavement develops transverse cracks spaced at

close intervals. These cracks develop due to changes in the concrete volume, restrained by the

longitudinal reinforcement steel, resulting from moisture and temperature variation. Crack width

can affect the rate of corrosion of the reinforcing steel at the crack locations when water or de-

icing salts #if used$ penetrate the cracks. "n a well-designed CC&, the longitudinal steel should

be able to keep the transverse cracks tightly closed and minimi+e water penetration.

'igure % CC& ongitudinal and Transverse einforcements



The optimum amount of longitudinal reinforcement steel in the standard plans is determined

such that it satisfies all of the following three limiting criteria

Cracks spacing "n order to minimi+e the potential of concrete punch out and spalling, the

spacing between consecutive cracks must be limited between ./ ft. #to limit punch out$ and 0.1

ft. #to limit spalling$

Cracks width "n order to minimi+e spalling, water infiltration and load transfer, the allowable

crack width should not e2ceed 1.1( in.

!teel stress "n order to prevent steel yielding and e2cessive permanent deformation, the tensile

stress in steel is limited to no more than 3/4 of its ultimate tensile strength.

'.0 &!$"S &D PP*$C"$O&S

A number of benefits could be gained from using CC& for the construction of highways. They

include

5ess maintenance re6uired, thus reducing the need for future maintenance closure.

5ower maintenance cost because there are no transverse joints to maintain.

5educed water penetration because there are fewer joints and tighter transverse cracks.

5!moother pavements over time since there are no transverse joints.

5ower long-term life cycle cost despite potential higher initial cost.

5Ability to handle heavier truck loading and volumes. There are situations, however, whereCC& may not be desirable

5'or conventional highways, local roads, and areas where there are utilities underneath the

roadbed. Accessing #digging up$ to maintain these utilities can damage the CC&.

5'or parking areas since CC& is e2pensive to build for lightly trafficked locations The

*epartment7s policy is to use CC& for rigid pavements where it is determined to be cost-

efective. ife cycle cost analysis #CCA$ is the most effective means to help make such

determination. The *epartment7s &avement website at

http88www.dot.ca.gov8h68esc8 Translab89&*8*ivisionof*esign-&avement-&rogram.htm

provides information on performing CCA.

(.1 C9:&9;<;T! 9' CC&



A typical CC& is constructed of concrete, steel bars, and joints. "n the following, a brief

discussion of each of these components will be presented along with necessary aspects for their

design.

(.% Concrete

Concrete is an artificial stone-like material used for various structural purposes. "t is made by

mi2ing cement, sand, and various aggregates such as pebbles, gravel, and shale, with water and

allowing the mi2ture to harden by hydration. Cement in concrete acts as a primary binder to join

the aggregates into a solid mass. ike =ointed &lain Concrete &avement #=&C&$, CC& is

constructed using &ortland Cement Concrete #&CC$ e2cept that aggregates used must have

coefficient of thermal e2pansion of >.1 2 %1-> 8 ' or less. !ection (1 of the !tandard

!pecification covers general concept in &CC pavement construction,

!ection ?1-% of the !tandard !pecification covers the types, classes, and strength of &CC@ and

!ection ?1-) covers the specified materials necessary to produce the &CC.

.

(.) !teel

CC& contains both longitudinal and transverse steel. *eformed steel bars used are those that

meet the re6uirements set out in

!ection /) einforcement in the !tandard !pecifications. The use of epo2y-coated reinforcing

bar is not necessary for CC& , e2cept in areas where corrosion is known to be a problem #e.g.,

because of the presence of salts or the application of de-icing salts$. "n California, epo2y coating

should be used in high desert and all mountain climate regions #!ee California climate map on

the &avement website at

http88www.dot.ca.gov8h68oppd8pavement8&avementClimateregions%11/1/.pdf $, and when the

project is within half a mile distance from a salt-water body. "n the following, both longitudinal

and transverse steel as well as steel tie bars are discussed.

(.).% ongitudinal einforcement

The function of the longitudinal steel is to strengthen the concrete, to control concrete volumetric

changes due to temperature and moisture variations, and to keep transverse cracks tightly closed.

"f the steel is able both to serve its function #i.e., reinforcement$ and to keep cracks fromwidening, the aggregate interlock #i.e., the mechanical locking that forms between the fractured

surfaces of concrete along any transverse crack$ will be preserved and stresses in the concrete

due to traffic loading will be reduced. ongitudinal reinforcement steel used for CC& consists

of Grade >1 ;o. > steel bars, spaced at/./ to ?.1 inches center-to-center. The recommended

position of the longitudinal steel is (.1inches from the surface of the concrete to the top of

reinforcement bars #see !tandard &lan &($ e2cept for thicknesses greater than .?/-foot where



slightly deeper cover is needed so that the transverse bar is not cut by the joint saw. :aintaining

steel continuity in the longitudinal direction in CC& ensures good performance of the

pavement. The continuity of the steel is achieved by overlapping each steel bar. A staggered

splice pattern as shown in the schematic drawing in 'igure ) is recommended for splicing

longitudinal steel. A minimum lap length of (/ diameters of the smaller bar joined #( Binches

for > longitudinal bar$, and a minimum clear distance between staggers should be the same as

the length re6uired for a lap splice of the largest bar

. e6uirement for reinforcement splicing can be found in !ection /)-%.10 in the !tandard

!pecification

. Additional longitudinal reinforcement is placed at transverse contact #construction$ joint to

ensure sufficient reinforcement at points of discontinuity #see !ection (. on this and other types

of joint used in CC&$.

'ig ) !taggered ap splice

(.).) Transverse !teel

Transverse steel is used across the entire width of CC& lanes primarily to support the

longitudinal reinforcements during construction, and to tighten and reduce the risk of occurring

and opening-up of random longitudinal cracks, thus reducing the potential of punch outs.

ongitudinal cracks occur appro2imately parallel to the centerline of the pavement. Additionally,

transverse steel is used to tie adjacent lanes together across weakened plane joints #see !ection

(. for this type of joint$.Transverse steel is usually Grade >1 ;o. > deformed steel bars spaced

at %).1 to >.1 inches center-to-center depending on the pavement width.

(.). Tie Dars

Tie bars are deformed /1-inch long, epo2y-coated Grade >1 ;o. > steel bars, placed in the same

plane as transverse reinforcement and perpendicular to the longitudinal joint to hold the faces of

abutting concrete in contact, and to help develop interlock along these joints. Tie bars are



typically used at longitudinal contact joints or between an edge joint and shoulder. The spacing

of the tie bars is the same as that used for the transverse reinforcement bars. The common

method of tie bar placement is with a mechanical splice, as shown in !tandard &lan&(. The

*epartment does not allow the use of bent tie bars even though they could be straightened after

placement of the concrete. This is because bending of tie bars causes them to lose their epo2y

coating and in some cases causes the tie bars to break. "t also causes the concrete to crack

because of its brittleness.

+.' ,oints

=oints are vital to control cracking and hori+ontal movements of the pavement. &lain concrete

pavements without joints would be riddled with cracks within one or two years after placement.

<ven with =&C&s, incorrectly placed or poorly designed joints will result in premature

pavementcracking. CC&s do not contain transverse weakened plane joints like their =&C&

counterparts. Eowever, joints in CC& include transverse contact joints #also known as

construction joints$, longitudinal contact joints, longitudinal weakened plane joints, and terminal joints. The !tandard &lans should be consulted for the proper depth, width, line of the saw cut

and type of seal re6uired to construct these joints. "n the following, the various types of joints

commonly used in CC&s are discussed.

+.'.1 "ransverse Contact ,oints

A contact joint #see 'igure $ is a joint formed when #i$ concrete is placed at different times, or

#ii$ when paving is interrupted at the end of each day7s paving operation, or #iii$ the paving is

interrupted for more than 1 minutes. An additional ()-inch long longitudinal reinforcement is

placed in the transverse contact joint on the same plane and twice the distance as the longitudinalreinforcements

'igure A Transverse Contact =oint 'ormed



Transverse contact joint should be planned so that they coincide whenever possible with terminal

joints #see !ection (..( for this type of joint$ to eliminate e2tra joints.

+.'.% *ongitudinal ,oints

ongitudinal joints #see 'igure ($ are necessary to control cracking in the longitudinal directiondue to warping, e2pansion and shrinkage stresses caused by temperature variations when

concrete is placed in great widths. They are constructed at lane lines, typically in multiples of

%)feet. Fhere there are no lanes, longitudinal joints should be spaced %) feet apart, but no more

than %( feet apart. Fhen widened slabs are used, longitudinal joints are omitted at the edge of

traveled way.

'igure ( ongitudinal Contact =oint at ane ine

(..).% Contact =oints

=oints between separately placed adjoining lanes are longitudinal contact joints. Tie bars #see

!ection (.).$ are used to tie the adjoining concrete placement together.

(..).) Feakened &lane =oints

A longitudinal weakened plane #contraction$ joint is formed by saw-cutting concrete to a depth

specified in the specification at lane lines or other locations specified on the plans. Feakened

plane joints are held together by transverse steel reinforcement.

(.. Terminal =oints



A terminal joint is used in CC& to transition to another pavement type of differing design, or to

a bridge structure, or to limit hori+ontal movement. Their function is primarily to #i$ isolate

adjacent pavement types or structures, and #ii$ anchor the CC& so that e2cessive hori+ontal

movement does not occur that would otherwise damage the CC& and the adjacent pavement or

structure. Terminal joints are provided and located at the beginning and end sections of CC&

used to accommodate longitudinal movement due to shrinkage or swelling caused by thermal

variations so as to protect the abutting ends of CC& and other pavements. Table % lists the types

of terminal joints and where they can be used. The various types of these joints are discussed

briefly in the following sections.

Table %. Fide 'lange Deam Terminal =oint (

Terminal =oint Types =oint Type Fhere to se it

Fide 'lange Deam Terminal =oint se at all bridge approaches, transition

between CC& other rigid pavements, and

fle2ible pavements at grade of (4 or greater.

Can use for any transition.

Terminal and =oint-Type A se for any locations where CC& abuts to

e2isting fle2ible pavement.

Terminal =oint-Type D se for any locations where CC&

construction is terminated at a planned

location.

Terminal =oint-Type C se for any locations where CC& abuts to

new or temporary fle2ible pavement.

(...% Fide 'lange Deam Terminal =oint

The wide flange beam terminal joint #see 'igure /$ has been a standard practice used by many

highway agencies to accommodate pavement end movements. The si+e of the wide flange beam

is dependent on pavement thickness and truck traffic volume. Fithin the limits of wide flange

pavement terminal installation, the subgrade should be prepared and compacted as specified in

the special provisions in the same manner as the rest of the roadbed before additional layers of

subbase and base are put on top of the subgrade

Fhere e2pansive soil is encountered, !ection>%(.( of the Caltrans E*: should be consulted in

order to address this type of soil.

The wide flange beam is set partially into %1-foot long and %)-inch minimum thick sleeper slab,

which provides support for the CC& and concrete pavement abutting at each end. "n order to

achieve long-term performance without significant repair, the design of the wide flange beam

should consider #i$ allowable end movements of pavement, #ii$ load transfer across the joint, #iii$



the durability of the wide flange beam to resist corrosion effects, #iv$ fatigue loading under heavy

truck traffic, and #v$ rigid connection to bridge side pavement . These design considerations are

e2plained below. !ince wide flange beam accommodates end movement, an e2pansion joint is

usually needed #i$ at the bridge approach slab, or #ii$ between the wide flange beam and

pavement end transition. Fide flange beam is susceptible to corrosion if placed in an

environment near salt-water body or where there is an e2tensive use of de-icing salts. The use of

galvani+ed beam is necessary to protect the beam from corrosion. As an alternative to galvani+ed

beam, either epo2y coating or a wider or thicker flange beam may be considered. The use of

thicker or wider flange can provide for improved resistance to fatigue-related failures under

heavy truck traffic loading. The wide flange beam can fail when the top flange separates from the

beam web. !o that rigid connection can be maintained and premature failure prevented, studs

1.3/-inch in diameter and 0inches long are welded to the flange bottom and the web spaced

alternately at ? inches and anchored to the concrete pavement end on the bridge side of the joint.

This rigid connection can help maintain profile and cross slope at the joints over the service life.

'igure / Fide 'lange Deam Terminal =oint

=oint !tandard &lans &)A and &)D contain the following information for wide flange beams

5ocation of the wide flange terminal joint at bridge approaches and at transition pavements

#rigid or fle2ible$

5Table of beam si+es with respect to pavement thicknesses.

5*owel bar at e2pansion joint.



• !tud connection to wide flange beam.

5Dar si+es used in tying support slab to CC& at e2pansion joint.

The following information for wide flange terminal joints should be shown in the plans

5 The location of the wide flange terminal joint by station.

5 &avement width, thickness, and crown cross-slope on typical sections.

!tandard &lans &)A and &)D - HContinuously einforced Concrete &avement B Fide 'lange

&avement TerminalI show a wide flange terminal system to accommodate the movement at the

joint between the abutting end of a CC& on one side and end of the bridge, approach slab or

another rigid pavement on the other side. 'igure > shows a schematic drawing of wide flange

beam terminal.

;otes aJ %/ feet minimum at bridge. bJ )1 feet at concrete pavement end transition. cJ)1 feet.

!igure - /ide !lange eam "erminal Details

"n conjunction with wide flange beam terminal joint, the e2pansion joint is provided to

accommodate large e2pansion of pavement e2ceeding 1./1 inch. Fhere e2pansion joint is to

documents. At pavement transition, the e2pansion joint is not used where fle2ible pavement

abuts to CC& or other rigid pavement#see !tandard &lan &1$.

+.'.'.% "ye "ye "ye C "erminal ,oints

Fhere CC& begins or terminates at e2isting fle2ible pavement, Type A terminal joint is used be used, a sleeper slab beneath the joint is constructed to provide a large bearing area and to

serve as a support for the free edges of the abutting concrete pavements. 9ne inch of e2panded

polystyrene is placed over the slab support prior to placing the concrete to prevent bonding and

to allow the pavement to move easily when it contracts and e2pands. The e2pansion joint width

formed between the CC& and a bridge, approach slab, or any other rigid pavement re6uires the

Type D seal #% K :ovement ating$ as shown in !tandard &lan D>-)%. The Type D !eal is



specified and paid for as a separate item of work in contract. The longitudinal reinforcement is

terminated ) inches from the construction joint where abutting pavements occur. Two transverse

contractions joints are formed by saw cuts made at %1 feet and )/ feet from the construction

joint. Fhere CC& is terminated without adjoining pavement, Type D joint is used. At the

terminal section of CC& a )3-foot long by %1-foot thick slab is provided for end support of the

CC&. The support slab is tied to CC& with Grade >1, ;o. / reinforcement so that good support

is also provided for the future pavement. The end of CC& is backfilled with soil and graded to

%.Fhere CC& terminates at new or temporary fle2ible pavement, terminal Type C joint is

used. At the terminal section of CC& a )3-foot long by %1-foot thick slab is provided for end

support of the CC& and new or temporary fle2ible pavements. The support slab is tied to CC&

with Grade >1, ;o. / reinforcement.

+.+ Pavement nd "ransition

&avement end transitions are made up of different pavement materials constructed within the

same lane. The pavement transitions can be concrete pavement abutting to approach slab or concrete pavement abutting to fle2ible layer pavement. The use of dowel-jointed pavement at

pavement transition eliminates the use of pressure relief or e2pansion joint. Fhen the pavement

transition changes from fle2ible pavement to concrete pavement, the *epartment recommends

are inforced concrete wedge panel at the transition to reduce the damaging effect of impact

loading at the transition #see the evised !tandard &lans !& &1 for different types of pavement

transition$.

2.0 DS$G& O! CRCP

This section provides all information necessary for the pavement engineer to design a CC&.

2.1 Design *ife

Topic >%) of the Caltrans Eighway *esign :anual #E*:$ discusses pavement design life. The

E*: and this Guide recommend that CC& be designed for a design life of (1 years. This life

represents the optimum number of years that a CC& should be e2pected to perform

satisfactorily before reaching its terminal serviceability or reaching a condition that re6uires

major rehabilitation.

2.% Performance !actors

&erformance factors for CC& can be found in Topic >)) of E*:. The performance factors for

a CC& are different from those used with =&C&. Fhereas =&C& performance is primarily based

on cracking and joint faulting, CC& performance is judged by punch outs #see 'igure ($. &er

E*: Topic >)),

CC& is designed to have no more than %1 punch outs per mile at the end of its pavement design

life.



2.' Design "3ic4nesses

To design a CC&, Topic >) of E*: contains information on the thickness of concrete surface

layer, and the thickness and type of the base and subbase layers. These thicknesses can be used

for new construction, reconstruction, widening, and lane replacement.

2.+ Ot3er Design Considerations

2.+.1 Detailing

A CC& should be accurately detailed on the project typical sections, layouts, and construction

details. The pavement on the project plans and details should be defined as CC& with the limits

shown on the project layouts.

2.+.% S3oulders

Two types of shoulders can be used with CC& tied rigid shoulder or widened traffic lane #see

E*: "nde2 >)/.($.

2.+.%.1 "ied Rigid S3oulder

A rigid shoulder that is tied to the adjacent traffic lane with tie bars provides lateral support to

that lane. "n order to obtain the ma2imum benefit, the rigid shoulder should be built

monolithically with the adjacent lane #i.e., no contact joints$. 'or this reason, the shoulder cross

slope should match the lane cross slope which may re6uire a design e2ception. The structural

section for the tied rigid shoulder should match the structural section of the adjacent traffic lane.

Tied rigid shoulders are the most adaptable and preferred type of shoulders when future

widening is planned within the design life of the pavement, or when the shoulder is to be usedtemporarily as a bus or truck lane. Fhen it is e2pected to be converted into a traffic lane in the

future, tied rigid shoulders should be built to the same geometrics and pavement standards as the

traffic lane.

2.+.%.% /idened *anes

Fidened lanes are concrete panels that are %(-foot wide in place of the prescribed lane width

constructed for the traffic lane adjacent to the rigid or fle2ible shoulder

Dy striping the lane at%) feet, the additional width becomes part of the shoulder width, which

will keep the truck wheel path away from the longitudinal joint. "n addition, it provides lateral

support to fle2ible or rigid shoulder by means of reducing the stresses that can lead to spalling

along the longitudinal joint.

-.0 CO&S"RUC"$O& O! CRCP



This section provides an overview of the basic steps involved in CC& construction@ namely

base, subbase and subgrade preparation, reinforcing bars placement, concrete placement,

concrete consolidation, finishing, curing and jointing. These basic elements are common to both

fi2ed form and slip form paving.

-.1 Su5grade Su55ase and ase Prearation

&avements constructed without ade6uate subgrade, subbase and base preparation may fail

prematurely because of inade6uate support. Also, pavements constructed without ade6uate base

and subbase preparation may not meet smoothness specifications and long-term pavement

performance.

-.1.1 Su5grade Prearation

The overall strength and performance of a pavement is dependent on many factors including the

load-bearing capacity of the subgrade. Anything that can be done to increase the load-bearing

capacity or structural support of the subgrade soil will most likely improve the overall strength

And performance of the pavement. Generally, greater subgrade structural capacity can result in

more economical pavement structures. "n order to provide ma2imum structural support, the

subgrade soil must be compacted to a density of no less than ?/4 as specified in !ection %?-

/.1of the !tandard !pecifications.

"f it is not, the subgrade will continue to compress, deform or erode after construction, causing

undesirable pavement cracks and deformation. "n order to achieve these densities the subgrade

must be at or near its optimum moisture content #the moisture content at which ma2imum dry

density can be achieved$. sually, compaction of insitu or fill subgrade will result in ade6uatestructural support. !ubgrade soil can vary widely over a short distance. &oor subgrade can be

described as e2pansive #plasticity inde2 greater than %) and -value of less than %1$. ;ecessary

tests such as sieve analysis, plasticity inde2, and -value should be performed. The engineer

should determine the 6uality of the subgrade if it is structurally ade6uate. "f the structural support

offered by the in situ compacted subgrade is estimated to be inade6uate, there are options that

can be used. 9rganic and peat soils are compressible and should be removed and replaced with a

better soil prior to placing the pavement structure. 'or e2ample, lime may be used with

e2pansive soils@ cement with less plastic soils #plasticity inde2 less than %1$ and emulsified

asphalt can be used with sandy soils. The binding characteristics of these materials generally

increase the subgrade load bearing capacity. Compaction of not less than ?/4 must be obtained

for a minimum depth of )./ feet below finished grade for the width of the traveled way and

au2iliary lanes including .1 feet on both sides as re6uired in the !tandard !pecifications. The

minimum depth of )./ feet can be waived in the following situations a portion of a local road is

being replaced with stronger pavement structure, partial depth reconstruction, presence of,

intersections, or frontage roads. ocation where the )./1 feet compaction depth is e2isting

utilities are to be moved and interim widening project is re6uired on low volume roads any



imported borrow to replace soft or unsuitable material or use of subgrade enhancement fabric in

construction should be identified and shown. There is no minimum California -value re6uired

by the !tandard !pecification for imported borrows@ therefore a minimum must be specified by

!pecial &rovision to cover the material placed within ( feet of the finished grade waived must be

shown on the typical cross sections of the project plans

.

.-.1.% Su55ase *ayer Prearation

The subbase layer is a planned thickness of specified material between a base and the subgrade

or basement material. nbound aggregate or granular material primary purpose is for structural

support, and other uses include #i$ improve drainage, #ii$ minimi+e frost action damage #iii$

minimi+e intrusion of fines from the subgrade into the pavement structure. The *epartment uses

Class ) Aggregate !ubbase, as shown in

Table >).%D to Table >).%:in the Caltrans E*:, for use in CC& to provide a foundation or

working platform for the base when placed on the subgrade. Aggregate may include any of the

processed materials from reclaimed asphalt concrete #AC$ lean concrete base #CD$, cement

treated base #CTD$, &ortland cement concrete #&CC$, or it consists of any combination of these

materials, but there claimed material amount should be less than /14 of the total volume of the

aggregate used. Aggregate subbases are delivered as uniform mi2es and deposited to the roadbed

in layers or windrows, free from pockets of coarse or fine material and segregation should be

avoided.

!preading and compaction in one layer may be accomplished when the re6uired thickness is1./1-

foot or less. Fhere the re6uired thickness is more than 1./1-foot, spreading and compaction are

in ) or more layers of appro2imately e6ual thickness. The ma2imum compacted thickness of any

one layer does not e2ceed 1./1 foot. Compaction of aggregate subbase is specified in !ection )/-

%.1/, HCompactionI of the !tandard !pecification

-.1.' ase *ayer Prearation

The base layer is immediately placed beneath the surface course. "t provides for additional load

distribution and contributes to drainage #if permeable base is used$ and frost resistance. The

*epartment uses Eot :i2 Asphalt #E:A$ #Type A$ to provide a construction platform

underneath the CC&. E:A #Type A$ provides a smooth base layer, and a good bond breaker layer. E:A #Type A$ provides fle2ibility to e2pand and contract with temperature fluctuations.

E:A #Type A$ base layer consists of a combination of mineral aggregates and asphalt materials

mi2ed mechanically in a plant. "t consists of one or more layers placed on a prepared subbase

inconformity with the alignment and grades shown on the project plans. "t is placed at a

temperature of not less than %1 L' and only when the subbase surface is dry and in satisfactory

condition. Fhen re6uired, a prime coat of li6uid asphalt can be applied to the area of the



subgrade or the subbase to receive the E:A base. Tack coat #paint binder$ shall be applied

between lifts of E:A base. All loose material must be completely removed from the primed

subgrade before placing E:A base.

!ection ?->-!preading and Compacting

!tates that all breakdown compaction must be completed before the temperature of the E:A

mi2ture falls below )11 L'. E:A #Type A$ base is spread and compacted in a number of lifts.

ayer shall be placed over a layer, which e2ceeds1.)1-foot in compacted thickness. The

compacted thicknesses are 1.)1-foot minimum and 1.(1-foot ma2imum. "n order to provide

ma2imum structural support, the completed deep lift of asphalt base course shall have an average

density of at least ?0 percent of the laboratory density, based on the =ob-:i2 'ormula for the

asphalt mi2ture when tested in accordance with California Test 1( and A!T:* %%00,

California Test 10, or California Test 3/

-.% Reinforcing Steel Placement

&roper placement of reinforcing steel is crucial to performance of CC&. CC& failures are

usually associated with insufficient reinforcement bar lap splice, unconsolidated concrete around

the steel, improper positioning of the steel in the slab and e2treme hot weather during

construction. einforcing steel for CC& has been placed by two general methods manual

method or mechanical method. Eowever, a number of states have found longitudinal steel

placement not precisely spaced and deviations of M inches in the vertical plane when

mechanical placement using tube feeders was employed to position the steel

The *epartment currently does not allow the mechanical method. Therefore, reinforcing steel

shall be placed manually #see 'igure 3$ before the concrete is placed. The advantage of the

manual placement method is that it allows for easy checking of bar placement, height and lap

splice length. Eowever, the manual method is slower and more labor intensive than the

mechanical method.



!igure 6. 7anual Placement of Reinforcing Steel

!ince the transverse steel is placed (.1 to (.3/ inch below the surface in the finished slab, small

;o. ( metal chairs #welded to the transverse bars$ or HplasticI chairs #tied to the transverse bars$

must be used to support the top longitudinal reinforcing steel in order to achieve this elevation

before concrete is placed. The metal chairs are positioned with its wide base perpendicular to the

transverse bar@ either type of chair is placed on the E:A base without fastener as illustrated in'igure 0. The chairs must be strong enough to hold the reinforcing steel in place during concrete

placement, consolidation, and finishing



!igure 8. Plastic C3air (*eft) and Steel C3air (Rig3t).

typical placement process involves #i$ placing the transverse bars on chairs, #ii$ arranging the

longitudinal bars on top, and then #iii$ tying the longitudinal bars to the transverse bars.

Typically, longitudinal reinforcements are tied or clipped to the transverse bars every % to feet.

'igure % shows reinforcing bars in their final position just before concrete placement.

-.' Concrete Placement

The placement of concrete in CC& can be done using any e6uipment or procedure used to

place concrete for =&C&s e2cept that because reinforcing steel must be placed prior to placing the

concrete, concrete delivery trucks are not allowed to end-dump in front of the paving machine.

Therefore, drive over unloader and a belt placer machine which runs parallel and in front of the

paver may be needed in paving. These are the same devices used when placing e2isting =&C&

where it is not possible to end-dump in front of the paving machine #such as widenings where

access to end-dump is limited or dowel bar baskets are used.$The concrete truck comes behindthe paver, drives on to the drive over unloader and dumps the concrete. The conveyor belt that is

connected to the drive over unloader then places the concrete in front of the paver for forming.

se of these machines re6uire a minimum %0 ft. wide alongside and right of the area to be paved

for the drive over unloader use and for the haul truck to get in and out easily of the drive over

unloader. Decause of its si+e, the belt placer machine and drive over unloader are hard to moved

or stored easily. Consolidation, finishing, curing, and jointing processes follow concrete

placement, and they are briefly described below

5 Consolidation is the process that compacts fresh concrete to mold it within and around the

forms and steel reinforcements and to remove voids. The consolidation re6uirement can be foundin !tandard !pecification (1-%.13A B !tationary !ide 'orm Construction

5 'inishing involves any e6uipment or procedures used to impart the specified surface

characteristics. The preliminary and final finishing re6uirements can be found in !tandard

!pecification (1-%.1? and (1.%%1.



9 Curing is the moisture and temperature in the concrete as it sets and hardens such that the

desired properties can develop. The curing re6uirement can be found in !tandard !pecification

?1-3.1).

5 !awing joints involves all sawing operations conducted on the pavement to create weakened

plane joints, and longitudinal and transverse contact #construction$ joints to insert appropriate joint seals. Eowever, CC& uses longitudinal reinforcing steel in order to limit the number of

weakened plane #a.k.a. contraction$ joints. !awed joints should be cleaned as specified. Timing is

a key factor in sawing weakened plane joints and should be done as soon as the concrete is

capable of supporting the weight of the saw. efer to Caltrans !pecification (1-%.10D #%$ B

H!awing :ethodI

6.0 S"&DRD P*&S

Table ) lists Caltrans standard plans for use with CC&, and can be found at the Caltrans internet

website at http88www.dot.ca.gov8h68esc8oe8projectplans8ET:81>plansdisclaim!.htm.Contact the *ivision of *esign, 9ffice of &avement *esign, for more detailed information about

these plans.

"* % *ist of Related Standard Plans Plan S3eet &um5er Standard Plan "itle

Descrition

&( Continuously einforced

Concrete

&avement se for new construction, reconstruction,

widening, and lane replacement.

&? Continuously einforced

Concrete &avement

B !lab eplacement

'or CC&, it is used for all locations needing slab

replacement. &lan shows where necessary saw cutting

will be needed.&%1 Concrete &avement B

*owel Dar *etails

se for all locations needing end panel pavement

transition.

& %0 Concrete &avement B ane

!chematics and "solation

=oint *etail

!hows all general cases where isolation joints are to be

located. se on all new construction widening and

lane replacement.

&)1 Concrete &avement-=oint

*etails

se for all locations needing saw cutting. 'or CC&, it

is used for longitudinal joint and construction joint

where saw cutting will be needed.

&% Continuously einforcedConcrete &avement-

Terminal =oint *etails

!hows all general cases where terminal joints are to belocated. This plan is used on new construction of

future pavement, at e2isting asphalt concrete #AC$

pavement, and for new AC and temporary pavement.

&1 Concrete &avement-<nd

&anel &avement

Transitions !hows cases where end panel pavement

transitions are to be located. This plan is used where

concrete paving lane abuts to e2isting8new approach or



sleeper slab or asphalt concrete pavement at transverse

joint.

&)A

and

&)D

Continuously einforced

Concrete &avement-Fide

'lange Terminals

se for new construction of Fide 'lange Deam

Terminal between the end of CC& and the ends of

bridge, approach slab or other pavement types. se

with !tandard &lan D>-)%.

&( Continuously einforced

Concrete &avement-ane

*rop &aving *etails

se for new construction, reconstruction, widening,

and lane replacements at lane drops for CC&.

&/ Concrete &avement-amp

Gore Area &aving *etails

se for new construction, reconstruction, widening of

e2it and entrance ramp gore areas ne2t to CC&.

&(/ Concrete &avement B

*rainage "nlet *etail ;o. %

se for all drainage inlet locations needing isolation

joints around concrete apron. Fhen use in CC&,

transverse reinforcements are terminated ) inches

from all edges of longitudinal isolation joint.

&(> Concrete &avement B

*rainage "nlet *etail ;o. )

se for all drainage inlet locations needing isolation

joints around concrete apron. Fhen use in CC&,

transverse reinforcements are terminated ) inches

from all edges of longitudinal isolation joint.

D >-)% =oint !eals :a2 movement

rating J )

se of construction of wide 'lange Deam Terminal

with e2pansion joints re6uiring Type D =oint !eal.# :r

J % K$ se with !tandard &lan & )A and & ) D.

8.0 S"&DRD SPC$* PRO:$S$O&S (SSPs)

Table lists some pavement CC& related !tandard !pecial &rovisions that may be used by the

pavement engineer on CC& projects. The *ivision of *esign pavement website at

http88www.dot.ca.gov8h68oppd8pavement8ssps.htmmaterials is also a good source of

information for CC& design.

"* '. CRCP Related Standard Secial Provisions

SSP ; SSP "itle Comments

(1-CC& Continuously einforced Concrete &avement !pecial &rovision for use in

the construction of all CC&

projects.

(1-)11, olled- !houlder umble !trips#&ortland Cement

Concrete "n "ndentations$

se when rumble strips are to

be constructed in new &CC

pavement. "f stage

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/pavement/ssps.htm#materials

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/pavement/ssps.htm#materials



construction prohibits forming

the rumble strips in the new

concrete pavement because of

stage construction patterns,

use !!& (1-)%1.

(1-)11 !eal <2isting Concrete &avement =oint se for projects where new

joint seals are to be

constructed in e2isting

concrete pavement. "nclude

!tandard &lan &)1.

(1-)%1 eplace =oint !eal #<2isting Concrete &avement$ se for projects where

e2isting pavement joint seals

in concrete pavement are to be

removed and replaced. "nclude

!tandard &lan &)1.

<.0 COS" S"$7"$O&

The Table ( below shows appro2imate volume of concrete and steel reinforcement weight per

lane-mile of CC&. Decause there is no historical cost data available for CC&, the following

e6uation has been developed for estimating the cost per cubic yard of CC& #N8CO$.

nit cost of CC& J 1.?1PQunit cost of =&C& #N8CO$R S QFeight of steel reinforcement #lb8CO$ P

N1.>/8lbR

"* +

This e6uation is based on a cost estimating

procedure similar to that used for =&C&s e2cept

that there are no transverse joints or dowel bars.

There is an added cost for the reinforcing steel.

The cost of wide flange pavement terminalmeasured transversely in linear foot should be

estimated separately. "t is estimated that the

average cost in installing wide flange terminal

joint is N3/1 per linear foot 6uoted from Te2as *9T statewide average price dated August )11>

and adjusted for California prices. The payment will be full compensation for all steel beams,

stiffener plates, end plates, drilled holes, welding, cutting, styrofoam, joint filler, concrete,

"3ic4ness of

Pavement

/eig3t of Steel

Reinforcement er lane=

mile

ft l5s > cy

1.01 %/,>>>

1.0/ %/,(/%

1.?1 %/,(/%

1.?/ %/,(/%%.11 %/,%)1

%.1/ %/,(0(

%.%1 %/,)0



reinforcement, bond breaker, and for all material, labor, e6uipment, tools, and incidentals

necessary to complete the work. ean concrete base, hot mi2ed asphalt, aggregate subbase, and

other base materials are paid for separately. Terminal joints Type A, D and C must also be

included in total cost when included in the project plans. These three types of joints are measured

and paid for in cubic yard of concrete. The estimated average cost of each terminal joint Type A,

D or C is ) to )./ times the cost per cubic yard of concrete of CC&. The payment will be full

compensation for all welding, cutting, styrofoam, joint filler, concrete, reinforcement, and for all

material, labor, e6uipment, tools, and incidentals necessary to complete the work.

10.0 7SUR7&" &D P?7&"

The 6uantity of CC& is measured and paid for by the cubic yard of concrete including

furnishing and placing the longitudinal reinforcements, transverse steel and tie bars. The volume

of concrete is calculated based on the width, thickness and length shown on the project plans.

Terminal joints are paid for separately.

11.0 R!R&CS C$"D

This Guide was developed with the help from the information provided in the following

documents

%$ HCC-Eighway &ave, *esign of Continuously einforced Concrete &avement for EighwaysI,

D. 'rank :cCullough, =une %??, a publication of C!".

)$ HTechnical Advisory, on HContinuously einforced Concrete &avementsI, =une /, %??1 of the

'ederal Eighway Administration.

$ H!tandard &lans of the Te2as *epartment of Transportation, a publication of Te2as

*epartment of Transportation

($ H&avement *esign Guide of the Te2as *epartment of Transportation.

/$ H!tandard !pecifications, :ay )11>I, a publication of California *epartment of

Transportation.

>$ HTerminal Treatment for Continuously einforced Concrete &avement, August )11I, a report

prepared by Construction aboratories, "nc

3$ HEighway *esign :anualI of the California *epartment of Transportation.

0$ HConstruction of Continuously einforced Concrete &avement, %??I, a publication of

C!"?$ H'igures used in this guideI, courtesy of Concrete einforcing !teel "nstitute #C!"$.

Documents

CRCP DESIGN MAIN NOTE.docx