Title:
Recommendations for Designing Prestressed Concrete Pavements
Author(s):
ACI Committee 325
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
85
Issue:
4
Appears on pages(s):
451-471
Keywords:
concrete pavements; control joints; creep properties; post-tensioning; prestressed concrete; prestressing steels; shrinkage; slab-on-ground construction; structural analysis; structural design; thickness; warpage; Structural Research
DOI:
10.14359/2746
Date:
7/1/1988
Abstract:
The load-carrying capacity of concrete pavement slabs can be significantly increased by prestressing. Prestressing induces compressive stresses in the concrete of pavements slabs. These stresses modify the structural behavior of these members and considerably improve their capacity to sustain bending deformations without cracking. Given adequate consideration to the design of joints and the placement of reinforcement, long prestressed slabs with substantially smaller thicknesses than those of conventionally reinforced pavements carrying the same loads can be constructed practically without cracks. Also, by capitalizing on the favorable distribution of the stresses caused by the effect of the difference in the moisture content from top to bottom across the thickness of the slab, the amount of prestressing forces required, and thus the prestressing reinforcement, may be reduced. This report analyzes the factors influencing the design of prestressed concrete pavements and recommends methods for their layout and structural analysis.