Design-oriented method for concrete pavements with volumetric stability admixtures: an integrated experimental and analytical approach

The high-performance demands on industrial floors, both in terms of larger slab dimensions and increased durability under harsh operating conditions, have led to the growing use of expansive admixtures. These generate a controlled expansive reaction within the concrete and compensate the early-age shrinkage. Despite their increasing use, calculation methods that permit to consider the expansive agents during the pavement design phase with a certain level of reliability are still unexistent. This study presents a straightforward cross-sectional model to assess both the stress-strain state and joint-opening of concrete pavements with volumetric stability admixtures by considering the slab dimensions, concrete composition, exposure conditions, and base friction characteristics. For that, a novel experimental device is designed and implemented in this work to characterize the dimensional variations associated with expansive agents since casting. A Type-G commercial volumetric stability admixture is considered as the expansive admixture. A full-scale validation of the proposed model is performed on a jointless concrete panel constructed by RCR Industrial Flooring in Spain. This validation proves the feasibility of the combined approach of laboratory calibration of the expansive addition and the cross-sectional model presented to accurately estimate both the slab deformations and joint opening developed over the 77-day test period.
This research project has been supported by RCR Industrial Flooring. Thanks are extended to Juan Carlos Martín, Agustín Escámez, and Christophe Cortinovis for their assistance and collaboration throughout the course of this study. Finally, support from AGAUR through the research project EB-Pav (2021 PROD 00071) is greatly acknowledged.
Postprint (published version)