Dowel bars in jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) have the important function of transferring wheel loads from one slab to the other, hence ensuring that the deflections on each side of the joint are kept almost equal. As well, the dowels should not impede the concrete pavement movements due to environmental effects (temperature and moisture). Dowel bar misalignment, attributed to deficient construction practice, is a major cause of joint distress or faulting by inhibiting the free movement of the slab at the joint. To prevent these issues, tolerance guidelines on misalignment levels are implemented by transportation agencies. Review of previous studies indicate that many researchers analysed the effects of dowel bar misalignment on pavement behaviour using a pull-out test, that is a forcebased opening of the joint. These approaches neglect that joints movements in the field are strain-governed by non-linear temperature and shrinkage actions, leading to combined axial movements and curling of the slab. In this study, the fundamental dowel bar behaviour under shrinkage and thermal loading was determined through detailed 3D finite element modelling (3D-FEM). To that end, models of dowel jointed concrete slabs were developed and subjected to realistic non-linear profiles of shrinkage and thermal strains. Studies were carried out on a single-bar model, taking into account bar-concrete friction and plastic concrete behaviour. The parameters that were investigated included different configurations and levels of bar misalignment and different friction coefficients between the steel and the concrete, simulating the use of bond-breakers. To interpret the results from the numerical analysis, criteria for concrete damage were developed and used in parallel with measures of joint load transfer efficiency; these were obtained by examining the response of the slab under a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) drop at the joint. The results were verified by comparing the outputs of a model consisting of one half of a slab to published data. The analysis of the models revealead that none of the models showed signs of significant damage after the application of shrinkage and two thermal cycles. Analyses with up to ten thermal cycles did not indicate progressive accumulation of damage, suggesting that for the chosen parameters there is no the concrete around the dowel bar will not fail. Models with bars placed higher in the slab and bars with angular misalignment exhibited more damage than the non-misaligned models without reaching the damage criteria used in this study. The models did not exhibit the amount of damage reported in the studies on dowel bar misalignment having used pull-out tests. It was found that no significant difference existed between uncoated and coated dowel bars models results with regards to concrete damage at the joint. However, a high coefficient of friction between the dowel and the concrete, simulating dowel bar corrosion, proved to be the most detrimental to joint integrity. All of the models performed very well with respect to joint load transfer efficiency, suggesting that the plastic strains in the concrete around the dowel did not have a significant impact on joint performance for the realistic range of parameters investigated.

Dowel bars in jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) have the important function of transferring wheel loads from one slab to the other, hence ensuring that the deflections on each side of the joint are kept almost equal. As well, the dowels should not impede the concrete pavement movements due to environmental effects (temperature and moisture). Dowel bar misalignment, attributed to deficient construction practice, is a major cause of joint distress or faulting by inhibiting the free movement of the slab at the joint. To prevent these issues, tolerance guidelines on misalignment levels are implemented by transportation agencies. Review of previous studies indicate that many researchers analysed the effects of dowel bar misalignment on pavement behaviour using a pull-out test, that is a forcebased opening of the joint. These approaches neglect that joints movements in the field are strain-governed by non-linear temperature and shrinkage actions, leading to combined axial movements and curling of the slab. In this study, the fundamental dowel bar behaviour under shrinkage and thermal loading was determined through detailed 3D finite element modelling (3D-FEM). To that end, models of dowel jointed concrete slabs were developed and subjected to realistic non-linear profiles of shrinkage and thermal strains. Studies were carried out on a single-bar model, taking into account bar-concrete friction and plastic concrete behaviour. The parameters that were investigated included different configurations and levels of bar misalignment and different friction coefficients between the steel and the concrete, simulating the use of bond-breakers. To interpret the results from the numerical analysis, criteria for concrete damage were developed and used in parallel with measures of joint load transfer efficiency; these were obtained by examining the response of the slab under a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) drop at the joint. The results were verified by comparing the outputs of a model consisting of one half of a slab to published data. The analysis of the models revealead that none of the models showed signs of significant damage after the application of shrinkage and two thermal cycles. Analyses with up to ten thermal cycles did not indicate progressive accumulation of damage, suggesting that for the chosen parameters there is no the concrete around the dowel bar will not fail. Models with bars placed higher in the slab and bars with angular misalignment exhibited more damage than the non-misaligned models without reaching the damage criteria used in this study. The models did not exhibit the amount of damage reported in the studies on dowel bar misalignment having used pull-out tests. It was found that no significant difference existed between uncoated and coated dowel bars models results with regards to concrete damage at the joint. However, a high coefficient of friction between the dowel and the concrete, simulating dowel bar corrosion, proved to be the most detrimental to joint integrity. All of the models performed very well with respect to joint load transfer efficiency, suggesting that the plastic strains in the concrete around the dowel did not have a significant impact on joint performance for the realistic range of parameters investigated.

Concrete pavements are a suitable alternative for high-traffic volume roads, concentrated loads and roads exposed to severe weather conditions. In Sweden, among other reasons, the scarcity of concrete pavements is attributed to the need for more national knowledge and expertise in the field. The most recent concrete pavement was constructed seventeen years ago in Uppsala. Concrete pavements are renowned for their longevity and durability. Jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) are the most frequent type of concrete pavements. However, it is important to note that the joints in concrete pavements are critical components that can lead to various distresses, necessitating rehabilitation. Rehabilitating concrete pavements is particularly challenging in areas with heavy traffic and requires substitute routes because of the imperative to maintain traffic flow during construction. Developing effective detours might involve significant alterations to the existing routes or building temporary roads, which entails substantial cost investment and time consumption. A literature review has been conducted to study the available methods that can be used to repair concrete pavements. The strategy for selecting a repair technique is based on rehabilitating the concrete pavement within a short work window, deterring traffic congestion and ensuring the long service life of the pavements. The study showed that the precast concrete technology based on the precast slab is a promising technology that effectively shortens the lane closure for repairing damaged pavements and produces durable pavements, thereby extending the service life of pavements. However, the construction or rehabilitation cost of concrete pavement using precast slabs is 1.6 to 4 times higher than that of conventional cast-in-place concrete. Therefore, rehabilitation using precast slabs is inappropriate for low-traffic roads and temporary routes. Joints are crucial for the rehabilitation of concrete pavements with precast slabs. The structural performance of concrete pavement is, however, greatly affected by the joints, as the presence of joints creates a discontinuity between adjacent slabs and thus diminishes the load transfer to the abutting slab. To maintain the structural integrity of the pavement system, dowel bars are used at the transverse joints. A numerical study has been conducted to evaluate the influence of various dowel-related parameters on the interaction between adjacent concrete slabs. The study revealed that the dowel bar’s position, mislocation and diameter had an obvious effect on joint efficiency, while the bond between the concrete slab and the dowel bar slightly affected the load transfer efficiency. It was also investigated that the dowel bar’s intended performance, i.e., load transfer efficiency, was reduced as the joint gap between adjacent slabs increased. / Betongbeläggningar är ett lämpligt alternativ för högtrafikerade vägar, koncentrerad belastning och vägar utsatta för svåra väderförhållanden. I Sverige är betongvägar sällsynta vilket bl.a. beror på brist på kunskap och kompetens. Den senaste betongvägen byggdes för sjutton år sedan i Uppsala.Betongbeläggningar är kända för sin långa livslängd och hållbarhet. Den vanligaste typen av betongvägar är fogade, oarmerade betongbeläggningar. Ändå är det viktigt att notera att fogarna i betongbeläggningar är kritiska komponenters om kan leda till olika olägenheter, vilket kräver rehabilitering. Att rehabilitera betongbeläggningar är särskilt utmanande i områden med intensiv trafik som kräver ersättningsvägar på grund av nödvändigheten att upprätthålla trafikflödet under reparationsarbetena. Att ta fram en effektiv omledning av trafiken kan innebära antingen väsentliga förändringar och förlängningar av befintliga rutter eller byggande av tillfälliga vägar, vilket medför betydande kostnadsinvesteringar och tidsåtgång. En litteraturöversikt har genomförts för att studera de tillgängliga metoderna som kan användas för att reparera betongbeläggningar. Strategin för valet av reparationsmetod bygger på att rehabilitera betongbeläggningen inom ett kort arbetsfönster, förhindra trafikstockningar och säkerställa lång livslängd för beläggningen. Studien visade att förtillverkade betongplattor är en lovande metod som effektivt förkortar avstängningen av körfält för att reparera skadad beläggning och producerar hållbara betongbeläggningar med lång livslängd. Rehabiliterings kostnaden för betongbeläggning med prefabricerade plattor är emellertid 1,6 till 4 gånger högre än den för konventionell platsgjuten betong. Därför är rehabilitering med förtillverkade betongplattor olämplig för vägar med låg trafik och temporära rutter. Fogar är vidare nödvändiga vid reparation med förtillverkade betongplattor.Betongbeläggningens strukturella prestanda påverkas dock kraftigt av fogar, eftersom förekomsten av fogar skapar en diskontinuitet mellan intilliggande plattor och därmed minskat lastöverföringen till den angränsande plattan. För att upprätthålla den strukturella integriteten hos beläggningssystemet används dymlingar i de tvärgående fogar. En numerisk studie har genomförts med olika parametrar för att utvärdera dymlingens inverkan på fogens effektivitet. Studien visade att dymlingens position, felplacering och diameter har en tydlig inverkan på fogens effektivitet, medan vidhäftningen mellan dymling och betongplatta enbart verkar ha en marginell inverkan på fogens effektivitet. Studien visade också att dymlingens prestanda, dvs. lastöverföringsförmågan, minskade då fogöppningen eller glappet mellan två närliggande plattor ökade. / <p>QC 240207</p>

The presented dissertation is focused on research in the field of dowels and design of concrete pavements using the finite element method. The theory part describes the history and the currently used techniques in the world and in the Czech Republic. The practice part of the dissertation contains a description of design methods, diagnostics of concrete pavements by using FWD and a description of laboratory tests on beams with inserted dowels. The results of measurements and modelling are verified on real operating conditions on testing fields. Based on the dissertation results, the amendment of the Czech standard ČSN 73 6123-1 regarding the position of dowels were proposed and approved. In addition, methodological guidelines of the Ministry of Transport regarding the measurements of the dowels and tie bars position and diagnostic by FWD was approved. The conclusion of the work summarizes and emphasizes the results of the dissertation.

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