Finite Element Investigation of Load Transfer Efficiency in Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements

Due to the dynamic traffic loads, rigid pavements experience different types of damages such as the longitudinal and transverse cracks. It is important to understand the structural behavior of jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) under the traffic loads in order to design new or improve the existing pavements. Three-dimensional finite-element method (3D-FEM) was used to predict the exact behavior of rigid pavement under aforementioned loads. The 3D-FEM was validated using the numerical model and field measurement of the concrete slab loaded with a dump truck. The effects of different parameters such as slab geometry, material properties, load magnitude and friction coefficient between slab and the base layer on load transfer efficiency (LTE) of the transverse joints have been studied. In the 3D-FEM model, the load transfer efficiency has increased by increasing the elasticity modules of the concrete slab and base layer and It was increased by increasing the slab thickness. This can decrease the deflections of the joints, which will reduce the damages on the pavement joints.