Evaluation of load Transfer Efficiency in concrete pavement (Case of Zahedan Airport)

Traffic loads is transferred in concrete slab joints from one slab to another by means of aggregate interlock and dowel bars which causes further stress distribution and thus increases pavement strength. In joints with low joint load transfer efficiency, the stress concentration causes faults and cracks. Therefore using appropriate methods to evaluate load transfer efficiency in the joints of concrete slabs is of great importance. To this end, LTE index is defined as a ratio of leave slab deflection to approach slab deflection. Load transfer efficiency in the joints depends on several parameters including temperature, joint spacing, number of repetitions and magnitude of loading, support of concrete slabs and load transfer mechanism in joints. This study was conducted to evaluate the load transfer efficiency in concrete slabs of Zahedan airport using HWD test system. LTE index was determined by three different methods using HWD deflections. The results show that average of load transfer efficiency in doweled joints is approximately 2.3 times more than that of undoweled joints. Also, the results of evaluating load transfer efficiency using the second and third methods showed high correlation.

Keywords:

LTE , Dowel bar , Concrete pavement , Deflection