National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

Overlay history suggests that cracking, curling, lack of ductility, and fatigue are common and collective failure modes of concrete overlays, all of which are positive contribution areas for fiber reinforcement. Improved resistance to crack propagation, controlled thermal and moisture stresses, increased elasticity, higher tensile, flexural, and fatigue strengths, and greater impact and abrasion resistance are some improvements in concrete performance that are generally achieved with the use of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) compared to normal concrete overlays. Therefore, there is a need to (1) establish a systematic and functional process that can guarantee the success of the FRC overlay application, (2) develop performance criteria for acceptability, (3) establish defined protocols for agencies to be able to evaluate a product that is submitted for approval, and (4) identify methodologies that facilitate the decision-making process.