ADAMSON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

RIGID PAVEMENTS
PRESENTED BY:
ENCONADO, ROBERT PATRICK
FUNTILAR, JOSHUA
LASQUETY, jOHNRICK
RACELIS, NICCOLO
VALERIO, REGINA

PRESENTED TO:
DR. TOMAS U. GANIRON
 WHAT IS RIGID
PAVEMENTS

• Rigid Pavements. A rigid pavement is constructed from cement

concrete or reinforced concrete slabs. ... The design of rigid
pavement is based on providing a structural cement concrete slab of
sufficient strength to resists the loads from traffic.
• Constructed from cement concrete or reinforced concrete slabs
• Grouted concrete roads are in the category of semi-rigid pavements.
• The design of rigid pavement is based on providing a structural
cement concrete slab of sufficient strength to resists the loads from
traffic.
• The rigid pavement has rigidity and high modulus of elasticity to
distribute the load over a relatively wide area of soil.
Difference between flexible and
rigid pavement
PARTS OF RIGID PAVEMENT
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
RIGID PAVEMENT

• It consists of one layer Portland cement concrete slab or relatively

high flexural strength.
• It is able to bridge over localized failures and area of inadequate
support.
• Its structural strength is provided by the pavement slab itself by its
beam action.
• Flexural strength of concrete is a major factor for design.
• It distributes load over a wide area of subgrade because of its rigidity
and high modulus of elasticity.
• Temperature changes induce heavy stresses in rigid pavements.
• Any excessive deformations occurring due to heavier wheel loads are
not recoverable
 Requirements in
constructing rigid
pavements
• Sufficient thickness to spread loading to a pressure intensity
tolerable by subgade
• Sufficiently strong to carry imposed stress due to traffic load
• Sufficient thickness to prevent the effect of frost susceptible
subgrade
• Pavement material should be impervious to penetration of
surface water which could weaken subgrade and subsequently
pavement
• Pavement surface should be skid resistant
 Functions of rigid
pavements

• Reduce and distribute the traffic loading so as not to damage

the subgrade
• Provide vehicle access between two points under all weather
conditions
• Provide safe, smooth and comfortable ride to road users
without undue delays and excessive wear & tear .
• Limited noise and air pollution
• Reasonable economy
 • In general, Portland
cement concrete is used
as primary structural
element for rigid
pavement. The
reinforcement is provided
in the slab depending
upon the soil strength and
loading conditions. Pre-
stressed concrete slabs
can also be used as
surface course. The
concrete slab usually lies
on a compacted granular
or treated subbase, which
is supported, in turn, by a
compacted subgrade.
• Better results of
pavement are obtained
when the support layers
under the pavement are
uniform. The strength of
rigid pavement is Rigid
pavement is mostly
Composition of Rigid depends upon the
concrete slab so, it should
be laid strongly while the
Pavement bottom layers are
constructed using low
cost materials to make it
economical.
 Advantages of Rigid
Pavement:

• It is very easy to clean and practically dust free.

• The resistance to traffic is low.
• When clean, it is not slippery.
• When properly designed and constructed, it has long life and
comparatively low maintenance cost.
• It can withstand any amount of traffic.
 The disadvantages of
rigid pavements include
–

• High initial costs

• Joints required for contraction and expansion

• Generally rough riding quality

• High repair costs

 TYPES OF FAILURE IN
RIGID PAVEMENT

The following 5 form of failures are commonly found in rigid

pavement

• Scaling of cement concrete

• Shrinkage cracks
• Joint spalling
• Warping cracks
• Pumping
 Scaling of rigid
pavement simply
means, peeling off or
flaking off of the top
layer or skin of the
concrete surface. This
may be due to the
following reasons

• Improper mix design

• Excessive vibration
during compaction
of concrete
• Laitance of concrete
• Performing finishing
operation while
bleed water is on
1. SCALING OF CEMENT surface
CONCRETE
 • Formation of
hairline shallow
cracks on
concrete slab is
the indication of
shrinkage cracks.
• Shrinkage cracks
develop on
concrete surface
during the setting
& curing
operation. These
cracks may form
in longitudinal as
well as in
transverse
2. SHRINKAGE CRACKS direction.
 3. JOINT
SPALLING
Joint spalling is the
breakdown of the slab near
edge of the joint. Normally
it occurs within 0.5 m of
the joints. The common
reasons for this defect are

• Faulty alignment of
incompressible
material below
concrete slab
• Insufficient strength of
concrete slab near
joints
• Freeze-thaw cycle
• Excessive stress at joint
due to wheel load
 4. WARPING
CRACKS
• In hot weather, concrete slab
tends to expand. Therefore the
joints should be so designed to
accommodate this expansion.
When joints are not designed
properly, it prevents expansion
of concrete slab and therefore
results in development of
excessive stress. This stress
cause formation of warping
cracks of the concrete slab near
the joint edge.
• This type of crack can be
prevented by providing proper
reinforcement at the
longitudinal and transverse
joints. Hinge joints are
generally used to relieve the
stress due to warping.
 5. PUMPING
When material present below the road slab
ejects out through the joints or cracks, it is
called pumping. When soil slurry comes
out it is called mud pumping.
The common reasons for this defect are

•Infiltration of water through the joints,

cracks or edge of the pavement forms soil
slurry. Movement of heavy vehicles on
pavement forces this soil slurry to come
out causing mud pumping.
•When there is void space between slab
and the underlying base of sub-grade layer
•Poor joint sealer allowing infiltration of
water
•Repeated wheel loading causing erosion
of underlying material
Example of rigid
pavement