Sustainable Concrete Highway Pavement Thickness Design: The Role of Diamond Grinding

Abstract

Since the turn of the century in Australia, for both PCP and CRCP applications, concrete highway pavements have included a key element of sustainability in design and subsequent construction. After determining the required structural thickness for the base (slab), an additional 10mm is added for construction tolerance and a further 10 mm is added for future surface rehabilitation by diamond grinding. There is a cost for the 20 mm, but it is probably the “lowest cost 20 mm of concrete” that can be provided. With typical hard rock aggregates there is a very high probability that no resurfacing materials will be required for 60 years after conforming construction. Even after two future rehabilitation grindings totaling up to 10 mm, at least the full initial design load carrying capacity of the base is retained without requiring strengthening or overlay. This paper presents the thickness design strategy and detail, and asset management planning to provide a sustainable long term pavement solution for which future surface diamond grinding has a key role.