Enhanced Understanding of Concrete Pavement Performance

Michigan’s wet-freeze climate causes pavement durability issues such as freeze-thaw scaling, while salt exposures significantly impact the long-term performance of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP). These environmental stressors initiate joint staining and can progress to joint spalling, eventually lead to structural failures like shear cracking under traffic loads. Structural inputs like slab thickness and modulus of rupture govern mechanical performance, while durability factors influence how a JPCP pavement degrades over time. These material properties affect roughness and service life. In addition, the University of Michigan (UofM) Center can provide specialized technical expertise and examinations related to further development of its pavement design program, specifically as it relates to Pavement Mechanistic-Empirical Design (PMED).

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Michigan State University, East Lansing

  Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
  Institute for Community Development
  East Lansing, MI  United States  48824-1226
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  2350 Hayward
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2125
• Principal Investigators:

  Hansen, Will

• Start Date: 20260327
• Expected Completion Date: 20270326
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete pavements; Freeze thaw durability; Mechanistic-empirical pavement design; Pavement joints; Pavement performance; Service life
• Geographic Terms: Michigan
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01995865
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Michigan Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 17 2026 1:20PM