RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CONCRETE PAVEMENTS FOR GERMAN EXPRESSWAYS (AUTOBAHNS)

Abstract

In Germany, concrete pavements have proven successful for heavy-traffic expressways (axle loads of from 11.5 to 13 t). Their surface offers durable good skidding resistance and develops little noise. Their service life is 25 to 40 years. Old concrete pavements are recycled into crushed aggregates for new pavement concrete or crushed aggregate base courses. The concrete pave- ments are produced without expansion joints or reinforcement. Transverse joints are arranged every 5 m. Transverse joints are doweled, and longitudinal joints are anchored using tie-bars. Concrete pavements for the highest traffic loads are 260 mm thick if they are placed on a ce- ment-bound base, and 300 mm thick if placed directly on a crushed aggregate base. Slipform pavers are used to place the concrete, normally in two layers.