Articles
DOI DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1156

TRANSFER DEGRADATION AT THICKNESS-TRANSITION JOINTS IN RIGID PAVEMENTS UNDER FULL-SCALE LOAD ACCELERATED TESTING

Wissam N. Abdulkhabeer1, Ahmed S. Abduljabbar 2, Ali M. Aldahawi 2
  1. 1 Department of Highway and Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.
  2. 2 Department of Highway and Geotechnical Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.

Abstract

The load transfer across joints in rigid pavements influences the structural performance as well as the serviceability of the pavement. Load transfer efficiency (LTE) and differential deflection of joints are two common measures to assess the conditions of joints. However, there is a lack of extensive evidence that addresses the behavior of thickness-transition joints when subjected to long-term accelerated moving wheel loading. The objective of this research was to evaluate the load transfer across three transverse joints located in a full-scale rigid pavement test track. J1 was a geogrid-reinforced 200 mm concrete slab adjacent to a 200 mm weak subgrade concrete slab; J2 was a thickness-transition joint between a 200 mm slab and a 150 mm slab, both of which were supported by a granular subbase; and J3 was a 150 mm slab adjacent to a 200 mm slab supported by improved granular fill. A circular full-scale accelerated load testing facility was used to apply 787,500 moving wheel load cycles. Differential deflection, LTE, and the variability and correlation of performance indicators of the rigid pavement system were evaluated using measurements obtained from linear variable differential transformers and analyzed in the context of joint performance.

According to the results, the best joint performance was demonstrated by J3 with a mean differential deflection of 0.104 mm and a mean LTE of 86.2%. J1 showed the worst joint performance with a mean differential deflection of 0.192 mm and a mean LTE of 72.8%. J2, the thickness-transition joint, presented a mean differential deflection of 0.160 mm and a mean LTE of 79.4%. This means that the thickness transition did not represent the lowest joint performance when adequate support was provided on one side of the joint. A significant inverse correlation between differential deflection and LTE was established (r = -0.958), thus reinforcing that differential deflection is a reliable measure of the load transfer performance. The results demonstrated that the performance of the joints in rigid pavements was most influenced by the combined effects of slab thickness, the support condition, and the structural compatibility of the adjoining sections. The study offered full-scale experimental data regarding the evaluation of thickness-transition joints and highlights the importance of considering LTE in conjunction with differential deflection and response variability.

How to Cite

Abdulkhabeer, W. N., Abduljabbar , A. S., & Aldahawi , A. M. (2026). TRANSFER DEGRADATION AT THICKNESS-TRANSITION JOINTS IN RIGID PAVEMENTS UNDER FULL-SCALE LOAD ACCELERATED TESTING. ACTA INNOVATIONS, 63, 898–912. https://doi.org/10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1156
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