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To cite this article: Louis Francken (2005) Prevention of Cracks in Pavements, Road Materials and Pavement Design, 6:3,
407-425, DOI: 10.1080/14680629.2005.9690014
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2005.9690014
Louis Francken
Belgian Road Research Centre
Boulevard de la Woluwe 42
B-1200 Brussels
ABSTRACT.
RILEM Technical Committees have been active since more than 15 years on the
prevention of Reflective Cracking in Pavements. Papers published over that period in the
proceedings of four RILEM international conferences devoted to this topic constitute an
unmatched source of information for highway engineers. Extensive research, laboratory
work, full scale trials and road condition surveys over the long term have been reported and
in 1997 the information collected, joined to the practical experience gained by the RILEM
committee members, was used to set up a state of the art report intended to be a reference for
road engineers and practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some
achievements of the RILEM TC 157 PRC committee and to recall recommendations presented
in the RILEM state of the art report. Another purpose of the paper is to open some questions
that the author considers to be main future challenges for road construction and
maintenance.
KEYWORDS:
Road Materials and Pavement Design. Volume 6 No. 3/2005, pages 407 to 425
408
1. Introduction
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the deterioration and find solutions to improve the situation. It is indeed vitally
important to correctly diagnose the nature and causes of cracks in a structure to be
treated, as it is the diagnosis which will direct the choice to proper solutions. The
RILEM state-of-the-art-report (Vanelstraete et al., 1997) gives a thorough description
of the different crack types appearing in the three major pavement structures: rigid,
semi-rigid or flexible structures. As shown on the examples given in Figures 2 and 3, a
clear terminology as been proposed to support visual inspections.
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411
Figure 4. Falling weight test to assess load transfer efficiency of joints and cracks.
(a) Geophone configuration and location of loading plate. (b) Loaded and unloaded
slab deflections
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of this technique has been provided. Crack and seat entails a certain loss of bearing
capacity, this solution must therefore be decided on the basis of a careful analysis
completed by a proper structural design of the overlay thickness.
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415
416
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impregnated nonwovens, for SAMI's and for sand asphalt. This function is also often
described as controlled debonding. It is obvious that total debonding has to be
avoided in all cases; otherwise fatigue cracking may appear already very shortly after
rehabilitation;
To provide a waterproofing function and keep the road structure waterproof even
after reappearance of the crack at the road surface. This is often the case for nonwovens
and SAMIs.
Table 1 reviews the roles or functions that can be assigned to different types of
interlayer system. The efficiency of each system with regard to a given function was
evaluated by the RILEM members on the basis of many full scale experiences
completed by modelling.
Table 1. Role of different interlayer systems (Vanelstraete et al., 1997)
Interlayer functions
Reinforcement
Sand Asphalt
SAMI
Impregnated
Non wovens
Grid
Steel Netting
3D-grids
Grid-nonwoven
X/XX
XX
XX
X/XX
Waterproofing
X
XX
XX
X
XX
XX
X(***)
X (*)
X(**)
XX
XX
Note: X: efficient; XX: highly efficient; (*): reinforcement function depends on product and
on temperature condition; (**): only in case of grids and steel nettings embedded in slurry
seal or surface dressing; (***): only in case of grids and steel nettings embedded in slurry seal
with elastomeric binder.
418
30000
Bitum en
25000
Asphalt
20000
Steel Grid
Geogrid
15000
Nonwoven
10000
5000
0
-10
10
20
30
40
50
Temperature (C)
419
Slurry
seal
Nailing
X
X
SAMI
Non
wovens
Grid
X
X
Steel
Netting
3D3D-grids
GridGridnonwoven
Self
adhesive
X
X
X
X
420
Figure 10. Shear test to assess interlayer bonding resistance parallel to its plane
421
Testing facilities and methods have been improved during these last years. They are
now simulating in a more realistic way the loading conditions of traffic and temperature
shrinkage. Many tests are intended for qualitative ranking of products under well
defined testing conditions. Tests are now also often used to supply the parameters
needed for modelling in Finite element methods. Several tests simulate mode 1 and 2
(Figure 11) crack movements or even their combination (Figure 12) in repeated mode
and express the results in terms of time or number of loadings needed for the crack to
propagate over a given distance.
On the other hand the results of most of the simulation tests are never or seldom
adjusted to full scale results on the same overlay systems. And there are even less cases
where this adjustment is made on the basis of statistic data from several test sites.
7. Modelling and design of overlay systems
One of the main purposes of modelling is the development of overlay design
systems taking the reflective cracking process into account. Finite element modelling is
becoming a powerful tool for the evaluation of overlay systems. Models and software
products specifically developed for the reflection cracks and other forms of distress
exist and are still improving. There are different approaches possible to predict crack
initiation and propagation: the fatigue law to predict crack initiation and Paris law for
crack propagation.
Figure 11. Test device to simulate combinations of crack-modes 1 and 2 (Dumas, 1993)
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Figure 12. Efficiency ranges of interlayer systems under combined effects of thermal
shrinkage and traffic loads
Different trials to model loading conditions in which shear and opening mode are
combined appear promising and innovative. Models allow a better insight of the
behaviour of overlay systems (see Figure 13) and may suggest improvements in the
design. However they depend on:
1) The quality and relevance of the assumptions;
2) The quality and accuracy of the input data.
Validation and long term field verification is still lacking in all the models to allow
the practical implementation of reliable overlay system design methods.
8. Implementation on the construction site
The importance of the placement procedure has been pointed out many times.
Although this seems obvious we have to insist on the fact that the best possible solution
on any point of view (material performance, modelling, testing and even earlier
successful large scale implementations) can turn into a disaster if some of the basic
rules of good practice are not carefully followed on the site (cf. Figure 14). For the
interlayer products these rules must be clearly defined and validated by the producers.
The laying procedure for interlayer systems generally comprises the following
consecutive stages: preparatory works, application of a fixing (Table 2), application of
the interlayer product, placement (if required) of a protective layer (Figure 15) and
application of the bituminous overlay.
9. Open questions
Cracking is one of the major sources of deterioration of the road and therefore it
must be one of the main criteria in the structural design of pavements and decision
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making for maintenance. Efforts have been made to increase the crack resistance of
road structures, and to develop better maintenance and repair methods. We have
pointed out the progress made in this field, however some points are remaining on
which research and development are still required: Faster, more accurate and non
destructive evaluation methods, better design models, significant material
characteristics, relevant testing methods, further field validations, are some of them.
Figure 13. Different crack path and propagation schemes obtained by finite element
simulation (Goacolou et al., 1982)
The first four RILEM RC conferences were essentially focused on the problem of
reflective cracking. The aim of the last conference in Limoges was to extend the
attention on a wider range of cracking modes such as fatigue or top-down cracking.
Fatigue cracking is important in that it is the phenomenon that is often responsible
for the initiation phase of cracking. In spite of the vast literature devoted to it, we are
still far from its full understanding and any contribution to this is thus welcome.
The top-down cracking phenomenon, on the other hand has not received the same
attention although we believe that it is also a major source of road deterioration.
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As already stressed in former RILEM meetings other problems that were hardly
dealt with, deserve more attention such as:
Reclaim and recycling of interlayer products;
Effect of ageing corrosion and chemical reactions on these products.
Figure 14. When laying an interlayer product care must be taken to prevent
wrinkles and folds
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Acknowledgements
The author expresses his thanks to all those who have contributed very
efficiently to the development of ideas and recommendations presented in this paper.
It must be emphasized that this activity was carried out collectively during many
years in the frame of the RILEM Technical committees and working groups. The
author is grateful to all members of those groups for the hard work they have carried
out in an open minded and efficient cooperation. He presents his best wishes for the
success of the up coming RILEM TC-CAP committee Cracking in Asphalt
Pavements who is taking over this effort.
10. Bibliography
Abd el Halim A.O., Taylor D.A., Mohamed El. H.H, Reflective Cracking in Pavements Research in Practice, Proceedings of the 4th RILEM Conference RC00, Ottawa, March
2000 Ed .RILEM Publications SARL, Cachan France.
Dumas P., Vecoven J., Process reducing reflective cracking : Synthesis of laboratory tests,
Proceedings of the 2nd RILEM Conference on Reflective cracking in Pavements, Lige
1993, p. 249-253.
Francken L., Beuving E., Molenaar A.A.A., Reflective Cracking in Pavements. Design and
Performance of Overlay systems, Proceedings of the 3nd RILEM RC Conference RC96,
Maastricht, October 1996, Ed E&FN Spon, London.
Goacolou H., Marchand J.P., Fissuration des couches de roulement, 5th International
Conference on Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, Delft 1982.
Petit C., Al Qadi I., Cracking in Pavements Mitigation, Risk Assessment and Prevention,
Proceedings of the 5th RILEM Conference.
Rigo J.M., Degeimbre R., Reflective Cracking in Pavements, Assessment and control,
Proceedings of the First RILEM Conference RC89, Lige, March 1989, Ed. CEP-LMC
Universit de Lige.
Rigo J.M., Degeimbre R., Francken L., Reflective cracking in pavements - State of the Art
and Design Recommendations, Proceedings of the 2nd RILEM Conference RC93, Lige,
March 1993, Ed E&FN Spon, London.
Vanelstraete A., Francken L., Prevention of reflective cracking in pavements RILEM,
Report 18, Ed E&FN Spon, London 1997.