Construction Details

Concrete Mixtures
• Portland cement – typically Type I or Type II
• Fly ash – Type F or Type C
• Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag –
primarily available in eastern states
• Blended cements
– Type IS: slag
– Type IP: fly ash
 Concrete Mixtures
• Coarse aggregate
• Varies by geographic location
– Limestone
– Granite
– Gneiss
– Sandstone
– Gravel
– Basalt
• Physical properties vary (hardness and
durability)
 Concrete Mixtures
• Fine aggregate
• Mostly natural river sand
• Gradation varies by geography – generally
finer sands in the south and west
• Areas where river sand is rare utilize
manufactured sand (crusher fines)
– Normally limited to maximum of 50% of the fine
aggregate protion)
 Concrete Mixtures
• Typical mix proportions for 1 cubic yard
– Portland cement: 420 lb
– Fly ash: 140 lb
– Coarse aggregate: 1,600 lb
– Intermediate aggregate (3/8” to #8): 400 lb
– Fine Aggregate: 1,000 lb
– Entrained air: 5%
– Water reducing admixture
– Water/cementitious material: 0.40
 Combined Aggregate Grading
• Utilize locally available materials whenever
possible
• Optimize aggregate grading to reduce
cementitious content (reduced paste)
• Coarseness and Workability factor is the most
common method - although improvements
are being researched
 Combined Aggregate Grading
• Mathematically combine all aggregate sieve
analysis test results
• Combined % retained
• Combined % passing
Combined Aggregate Grading
Percent Passing
Combined
% Retained
45% 20% 35% Combined On Each Combined
Sieve Coarse Intermediate Fine #1 % Retained Sieve % Passing
2½" 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 100%
2" 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 100%
1½" 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 100%
1" 100% 100% 100% 0% 0% 100%
¾" 95% 100% 100% 2% 2% 98%
½" 60% 100% 100% 18% 16% 82%
⅜" 35% 60% 100% 37% 19% 63%
#4 5% 40% 99% 55% 18% 45%
#8 2% 25% 85% 64% 9% 36%
#16 1% 20% 70% 71% 7% 29%
#30 1% 5% 50% 81% 10% 19%
#50 1% 3% 20% 92% 11% 8%
#100 1% 2% 5% 97% 5% 3%
#200 0.9% 1.5% 1.5% 98.8% 1.4% 1.2%
Workability Factor 35.7
Coarseness Factor 57.9
 Combined Aggregate Grading
• Coarseness Factor = [(percent retained on
3/8”) / (percent retained on #8)] x 100
• Workability factor = percent passing #8
• Plotted on a graph
Combined Aggregate Grading
Coarseness Chart

50

45
Sandy

Workability Factor
Well
Graded
40

(percent)
Minus ¾"

35
Coarse
Gap Well Graded
Graded 1½" to ¾"

30
Rocky
Control
Line
25
90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20
Coarseness Factor
(percent)
 Combined Aggregate Grading
• Combined Percent Retained Graph
• Identify gap grading (consecutive sieve sizes
with deficiencies)
Combined Percent Retained "8-18" & "6-22"

24%

22%

20%

18%

16%
Percent Retained

14%

12%

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0%
#4

#8

#100

#200
2½"

1½"
2"

1"

#16

#30

#50
¾"

½"

⅜"

Sieve Size
Preparation for Paving
 Preparation for Paving
• Construction staking – alignment and elevation

• Setting stringline
 Preparation for Paving
• Fine grading
• Critical for thickness control of every layer

• Establishes a foundation for smoothness

 Preparation for Paving
• Checking grade – elevation and thickness quality
control

• Stretching a string across the grade between the

two longitudinal stringlines
 Stringline Adjustment
• Stringline should be adjusted for high points in the
subbase
• Thickness control

• Once adjusted for subbase variation, it should then

be eyeball adjusted for smoothness
• Ride characteristics
 Setting Baskets
• Location – planned joint location
• Anchored firmly – pins, clips and nails, etc.
• Mark the joint location – paint, flag, etc.
• Alignment – 3 planes (joint lockup will cause
cracking)
• Specified tolerances are unrealistic
 Reinforcing Steel
• Continuously reinforced pavement

• Transverse bars placed on chairs

• Longitudinal bars tied to chair supported

transverse bars
 Plant Setup
• Well drained, with adequate protection to collect
runoff and washout water

• Firm base for stockpiles – prevent pumping of mud

into the stockpile

• Traffic logistics
 Plant Calibration/Verification
• Scales should be certified when the plant is
relocated

• A verification mix should be run through the plant

before production
• Mixer uniformity

• Materials compatibility
 Paver Setup
• Width – fresh slab will expand after extrusion

• Trueness – cross-slope/crown

• Integral curb dimensions

• Vibrator spacing and operation

• Sensor operation - daily

 Setting Forms
• Steel or wood

• Firmly anchored

• Set to plan grade – cross-slope

• Correct dimensions
 Moisten Subbase
• Subbase surface should be kept damp, but without
standing water
• Warping

• Surface temperature control

 Stockpile Management
• Prevent segregation – tiered stockpiles or radial
stackers with limited drop will promote uniformity

• Draw from areas of known moisture content

• Manage moisture content – regular testing

 Moisture Compensation
• Plant scales weigh the
total mass in the
hopper

• Adjustment must be
made for the free water
that is weighed with
the aggregates – plant
adjustment is
automatic based on the
operator’s input of
moisture content

• Regular testing must

be performed – at least
twice daily
 Mixing
• Mixing time – 45 to 90 seconds by specification (60
seconds is common)

• Tempering – adding water (it happens), watch for

uniformity from the front of the load to the back
 Concrete Temperature Control
• Central mixed – chilled water or heated water is
most common

• Dry batch/transit mixed – ice, liquid nitrogen,

heated water or heated aggregates
 Transporting
• Various methods

• Haul road/route concerns

• Consistent delivery – consider traffic
• Relatively smooth – equipment maintenance and air content
issues

• Time vs. temperature – should a load be rejected

based on time only?

• Tempering – transit mixed concrete

• Additional water will increase permeability and reduce strength
 Key Inspection Items
• Stringline adjusted to prevent thin pavement
• Scale certification
• Dowel placement
• Stockpile segregation
• Infiltration of mud into the bottom of stockpiles
• Aggregate moisture content and appropriate plant
compensation
• Adequate mixing time
• Concrete temperature
Equipment
Fine Grading
 Compaction
• Vibratory or static

• Smooth drum or pad foot

• Pneumatic
Proof Roller?
Central Mix Plant
Dry Batch Plant
 Transporting Concrete
• Transit mix

• Agitor
 Transporting Concrete
Dump Truck Dump Trailer

Live Bottom Trailer

Placer
Placer/Spreader
Slipform Paver Components

IMCP Manual
 Slipform Paver
• Tractor

• Auger &
Strike-off
 Slipform Paver
• Vibrators
• Pan and Side form
Vibrator Sphere of Influence
Dowel Bar Inserter
 Initial Texturing
• Burlap or artificial turf drag provides microtexture
(primarily skid resistance)
 Final Texturing
• Transverse tining

• Longitudinal tining
 Curing
• Even and complete coverage across the width of
the slab and the edges
 Saws
Wet Walk Behind Early Entry

Span Saw
 Miscellaneous Equipment
• Air compressor

• Silicone pump

• Spud vibrators

• Vibrating screed

• Roller screed

• Hand tools
 Key Inspection Items
• Keep in mind that equipment is used to achieve an
end goal – contractors can provide the same
product with different equipment
• Equipment that is obviously malfunctioning or
adversely affecting the quality of the pavement
should be brought to the attention of the
contractor
• Oil leaks into the fresh concrete must be eliminated

• Over vibration, although difficult to detect should not be tolerated

• Spray nozzles on the curing machine should provide complete

coverage (no gray should show through)

• Saws and blades should be in good repair and at least one spare
saw should be on the project, with multiple blades on hand
 Construction Methods – Placing,
Finishing, Curing, Texturing and Joints
 Dumping/Spreading
• Directly on grade – transit mix trucks with long
chutes or end dump units when a DBI is used
• Light duty plain jointed pavements
 Dumping/Spreading
• Spreader/Placer – dowel baskets or crcp
Global positioning system (GPS) controls will likely
be able to eliminate the need for a string line in the
future
GPS Receiver GPS
Controller
and Laser
Height Gages

Laser
Senor

High
Resolution
Laser
 Dumping/Spreading
• Regardless of the method, the goal is to maintain a
consistent head of concrete in front of the paver
 Consolidation
• Over vibration can cause
settlement

• ODOT specification
• 7,000 vpm minimum
• Other states are in the 4,000 –
8,000 vpm range

• Note the effect of

vibration in relation to
paver speed

• Vibrator trails are not the

problem— they are the
symptom of a problem
 Extrusion (slipforming)
• Vibrator frequency and spacing
• Outside (edge) vibrators will generally be set at a lower frequency

• Side form batter – edges are haunched slightly

• Overbuild – compensates for edge slump

 Edge Slump
• Variability (non-uniform concrete) will result in
edge slump or edge failure
 Finishing
• Burlap drag

• Mechanical finishing

• Hand finishing
 Microtexture
• Burlap drag

• Turf drag

• Broom
 Macrotexture
• Transverse tining

• Consistent
• Straight and clean tines
• Blank out transverse joint locations
• Minimize positive texture
 Curing
• Why?
• Plastic shrinkage cracking
• Permeability

• When?
• Before the surface can dry –
weather will influence this
greatly

• How much? COMPLETE

COVERAGE
Curing Compound
 End of Day Header
• Normally at a planned joint location

• Contractor may adjust the mix to get early strength

• Under consolidation of the concrete is a recurrent

problem
 Weather Considerations
• Hot weather concreting (accelerates hydration)
• Reduce the rate of evaporation

• General precautions
• Moisten the aggregate

• Cool the aggregate and water

• General recommendations
• Do not exceed the maximum W/C ratio

• Use SCMs

• Increase air entrainment dosage

 Weather Considerations
• Cold weather placement
• Increase cement content

• Reduce SCM usage

• Heat mix water

• Use blankets

• Avoid thermal shock

 Weather Considerations
• Protection from rain
• Do not finish rain water into the surface

• Raises the W/C ratio

• Can provide a moist curing

• Cover with plastic

 Sawing Joints
• Why?
• So it cracks where we want
it to

• When?
• Before it cracks, but after
raveling is minimized

• Green saw at T/3 or

early entry is shallower
(¾” to 1”)

• Dimension sawing is
optional with ¼” joint
width
Sawing Joints
 Cleaning Joints
• Flush clean with water

• Sand blast

• Dry and oil free compressed air

 Sealing Joints
• Backer rod

• Silicone sealant

• Longitudinal
construction joints
 Tied Shoulders and Staged Construction
• Working
joints may
influence
cracking of
the fresh
pavement

Corner crack

Expansion Contraction

Corner crack
 Key Inspection Items
• Sprinkling of the subbase

• Assure that dumping/spreading does not

dislodge/move dowel baskets

• Dowel/joint locations should be clearly and

accurately marked

• Over vibration or under vibration

• Concrete uniformity

• Over finishing – bringing too much slurry to the

surface may result in a weak layer at the surface
 Key Inspection Items
• “Blessing” the slab with water may result in a
weakened layer at the surface

• Consistent tining

• Adequate and timely coverage of curing compound

on all surfaces

• Green sawing in a timely manner

• Green sawing to the proper depth

• Clean and dry joints before installation of the

backer rod and sealant
Questions?

Thank You!