TRB 2018 Presentation: “Highway 400 Precast Concrete Inlay Panel Project: Instrumentation Plan, Installation, & Preliminary Results”, Ontario, Canada

“Highway 400 Precast Concrete Inlay Panel Project:
Instrumentation Plan, Installation,
 and Preliminary Results”
Authors: Daniel Pickel, Susan Tighe, Warren Lee, and Rico Fung
Presented at the 97th Annual Transportation Research Board (TRB) Meeting
in Washington, D.C. held January 7-11, 2018

The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) was interested in a fast rehabilitation strategy that could be used to address deep-seated rutting issues encountered on its 400-series highways. A precast concrete inlay panel (PCIP) rehabilitation design was developed and constructed which involved the installation of precast panels into partially-milled asphalt pavement. In an effort to gather information about the feasibility of this rehabilitation design, sub-surface instrumentation was installed at the PCIP-asphalt interface. This included earth pressure cells (EPCs) and moisture sensors installed in six instrumentation clusters. This instrumentation has been monitored since October 3, 2016 to gather information regarding the PCIP trial installation. Readings from the moisture sensors indicate that water has penetrated beneath the PCIPs in precipitation events, though these moisture levels dropped down to relatively low levels under dry conditions, indicating that the water can exit the sub-slab area effectively.

EPCs provided some insight into the event which may have led to the penetration of water beneath the PCIPs. Static load testing using a fully-load gravel truck was used to determine the functionality of the EPCs and the different support reactions caused by different loading configurations. Ten of twelve EPCs were found to be functioning. Higher loads were generally found beneath the joints in the two loading situations studied. Twenty-three freeze-thaw cycles were observed beneath the PCIP at the level of the support layer. This, combined with the presence of moisture beneath the PCIPs, indicates the necessity for properly designed grouts and support materials underneath the slabs.

To purchase this paper, please go to: http://amonline.trb.org/2017trb-1.3983622/t024-1.3995637/637-1.3995839/18-02687-1.3995849/18-02687-1.3995850?qr=1. Or, go to: http://amonline.trb.org/

For questions and other information, please contact:
Daniel Pickel, MASc, BEd, Graduate Research Assistant, PhD Candidate-Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT), Civil & Environmental Engineering Department-University of Waterloo, Canada
E-mail: dan.pickel@gmail.com    |    P: (519) 888-4567, ext. 30187

Susan Tighe, Norman W. McLeod Professor of Sustainable Pavement Engineering, Director-Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT)and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering-University of Waterloo
E-mail: sltighe@uwaterloo.ca   |   P: (519) 888-4567 ext. 33152

For the ISCP February 2018 VIDEO that coincides with this paper titled, “VIDEO: ‘Highway 400 Precast Concrete Inlay Panel Project: Instrumentation Plan, Installation, & Preliminary Results’, Ontario, Canada” that coincides with this project, please go to: https://www.concretepavements.org/2018/02/20/video-highway-400-precast-concrete-inlay-panel-project-instrumentation-plan-installation-and-preliminary-results-ontario-canada/

Home page image: Clip from video: “Highway 400 Precast Concrete
Inlay Panel Project: Instrumentation Plan, Installation,
and Preliminary Results”

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