Best Design and Construction Practices for Concrete Pavement Transition Areas

This project summary report summarizes the research performed in Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-5320. The performance of pavement transition areas is at times a major issue for highway maintenance due to improper design or construction that could have been avoided. To ensure a smooth transition between two different pavement sections and to minimize future maintenance issues, transition details are necessary for joining pavement sections that incorporate different design elements including pavement type and pavement structure. Research for this project focused on measures to improve current transition design in terms of three general categories: transverse construction joints, longitudinal construction joints, and thickness transitions. The project addressed general features such as joint details, tie bars, and dowels for each transition type; identified limitations; and discussed optimized configurations relative to deflection criteria. Researchers developed a summary of the best practices for various concrete pavement transition elements based on design objective, performance factors, current practices, and suggested design improvements. Researchers conducted field visits in selected districts to survey conditions of concrete pavement transitions relative to slab cracking and associated distresses that may be related to improperly restrained segments due to inappropriate jointing practices or other design-related factors. The project produced guidelines addressing key factors for successfully designing and constructing concrete pavement transitions.