New Formulas for Stresses in Concrete Pavements of Airfields

TLDR

Stresses in concrete airfield pavements arise from tire loads transmitted through the oblong footprint of landing‑gear tires. The study provides formulas for stresses and deflections induced by these tire loads. The authors consider three load positions—interior, near an edge or non‑transfer joint, and near a load‑transfer joint—each at a distance from panel corners, and derive corresponding stress and deflection formulas. The derived formulas show that the most significant stresses are tensile stresses at the slab bottom.

Abstract

The stresses investigated here are caused by loads. The load is a pressure transmitted through the oblong "footprint" of a tire of a landing gear. Three positions of this load are considered: The first is at a considerable distance from any edge or joint, in the interior of the area of a panel of the pavement; the second position is next to an edge or next to a joint that has no capacity for load transfer, but is at an appreciable distance from any corner of the panel; the third position is next to a joint that permits some transfer of load to the adjacent panel, but is at an appreciable distance from any corner of the panel. Formulas are given for stresses and deflections caused by such loads. The significant stresses are tensile stresses at the bottom of the slab. A fourth position of the load, at a comer of a panel, by which significant tensile stresses are produced at the top of the slab, is also important, but is not considered herein.