Section 2: Approved Design Method
Anchor: #i10139032.1 Introduction
The TxCRCP-ME design program and the AASHTO DARWin® 3.1 program are available to department personnel through the district pavement engineer. Consultants may obtain the TxCRCP-ME program from the district pavement engineer or the Pavement Asset Management Section of the Maintenance Division.
The AASHTO Guide also contains design procedures for rehabilitation of rigid pavements, including asphalt concrete overlays or Portland cement concrete (PCC) overlays of existing rigid pavements. Contact the district pavement engineer or MNT – Pavement Asset Management for further assistance.
Anchor: #i10074672.2 TxCRCP-ME Design Program for CRCP
The design method was developed under department research project 0-5832, “Develop Mechanistic/Empirical Design for CRCP.” An elaborate three-dimensional finite element analysis was conducted to identify the mechanisms of punchout distress in CRCP, and the critical component that may cause the punchout distress was mechanistically evaluated. A full factorial parametric study was performed for significant input variables to compile the database of the analysis results. A program was written using Microsoft Excel to perform the analysis of the pavement system for given inputs in estimating the frequency of punchouts, the primary structural distress in CRCP. The conversion from mechanistic structural responses to pavement distress is achieved by a transfer function determined empirically, utilizing data collected from the department’s rigid pavement database project. The final results of the software are presented in the form of charts and tables.
Anchor: #i10074772.3 AASHTO Rigid Pavement Design Procedure for CPCD
The 1993 AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures is the only approved design method for CPCD projects. This design procedure is available in automated forms, the AASHTO DARWin® 3.1 program, and at http://www.pavementinteractive.org/1993-aashto-rigid-pavement-structural-design-application/.