National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

Concrete pavements can be cost-effective as they have been reported to exhibit long service lives. Although the majority of pavements in Oregon are asphalt concrete, many interstate pavements are concrete. Performance of these concrete pavements has generally been excellent. Several pavement projects are now being designed and constructed with Portland cement concrete. To ensure long service lives and cost-effectiveness, the construction of these pavements must be straightforward and without undue challenges. The concrete mixture can have a significant influence on constructability and long-term performance and well-proportioned concrete mixtures will result in improved constructability and performance. The objective of this research is to develop performance engineered mixtures (PEM) for concrete pavements in Oregon, thereby ensuring constructability and long-term performance of these concrete pavements. It is anticipated that this research will generate sufficient data on materials and concrete mixture proportions such that draft specifications can be developed for slipform concrete paving mixtures using materials available to the Oregon construction market.