STRESSES IN CONCRETE PAVEMENTS COMPUTED BY THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

FROM ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CONDITIONS OF LOADING, SUPPORT, ETC., OF CONCRETE ROAD SLABS, WHICH CONFORM CLOSELY TO THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS, A METHOD BY WHICH THE STRESSES IN ROUND SLABS MAY BE COMPUTED HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS. BY THE USE OF FORMULAS, CHARTS AND TABLES WHICH ACCOMPANY THE PAPER, THE METHOD CAN BE APPLIED CONVENIENTLY BY HIGHWAY ENGINEERS FOR THE DESIGN OF CONCRETE ROAD SLABS. IT ALSO OFFERS A MEANS OF COMPUTING THE CRITICAL STRESSES IN EXISTING PAVEMENTS, AND MAY BE USED TO FURNISH THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, OFTEN PROPOUNDED, AS TO THE POSSIBLE DECREASE IN THE THICKNESS OF A PAVEMENT IF THE OPERATION OF THE HEAVIER VEHICLES IS PROHIBITED, AND, VICE VERSA, WHAT ADDITIONAL THICKNESS IS REQUIRED BY A GIVEN INCREASE IN WHEEL PRESSURE. /AUTHOR/