Effect of joint rotation on curling responses in airfield rigid pavements

This paper quantifies the relevance of restriction to joint rotation of an airfield concrete pavement when calculating critical curling stresses and deflections using a validated finite element model. The validation uses strains measured at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. To calculate critical curling stresses and deflections, the pavement was subjected to 5263 h of temperature variation determined by utilising the enhanced integrated climate model and thermocouple readings. The profiles include a wide range of average temperatures, temperature gradients, and temperature nonlinearity. Three conditions were included: (1) joints free to displace and rotate; (2) joints free to rotate, but partially restrained to vertical displacement; and (3) joints partially restrained to vertical displacement and rotation. Differences in critical stresses between the second and third conditions were greater than 5% for 70% of the time. When considering rotational restriction, critical deflections are reduced. Eighty percent of the difference, with respect to the free case, was caused by rotational restriction. It was evident that joint rotation intensifies the influence of curling stresses and deflections on long-term performance of airfield rigid pavement.