EFFECT OF HIGH TIRE PRESSURES ON CONCRETE PAVEMENT PERFORMANCE

Abstract

This study, conducted by Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. for the Portland Cement Association, investigates the impact of high tire pressures on concrete pavement performance. With the increasing use of trucks equipped with radial tires and high tire pressures, significant pavement damage has been observed across major highways in the United States and Canada. Unlike asphalt pavements, for which extensive research programs have been initiated, the effects of high tire pressures on concrete pavements have been less thoroughly studied. This research aims to fill that gap by examining how high tire pressures influence concrete pavement response, service life, and performance characteristics. Field testing across six sites in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania involved loading pavement sections with trucks equipped with tires at pressures ranging from 80 to 120 psi. Measurements of pavement strains, deflections, and the subsequent analysis suggested that increased tire pressure does not significantly affect concrete pavement response. Additionally, surveys of truck tire pressures in various states revealed that operational pressures are substantially higher than those used during the AASHO Road Test, upon which many pavement design equations are based. Despite the higher pressures, the research found no significant impact on pavement performance, indicating that current pavement thickness design procedures, which do not consider the effects of increased tire pressure, may still be adequate. This conclusion is supported by both theoretical analyses and field test data, which collectively indicate that increased tire pressures up to 120 psi do not significantly affect the performance or service life of concrete pavements. The study's findings suggest that existing design methodologies for concrete pavements remain valid, even in the face of changing tire technologies and usage patterns. (Abstract generated by AI tool ChatGPT 4)