Experimental investigation and monitoring of a polypropylene-based fiber reinforced concrete road pavement

Abstract

In this work, basic guidelines are provided for the design of a polypropylene-based fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC) road pavement, as applied in an actual testing section resting inside a tunnel of the “Quadrilatero Marche-Umbria” road empowerment project, Italy. Results of a six-month monitoring carried out on actual traffic loads are also presented, as a feedback to the designing stage. Monitoring encompasses direct measurement of the strain level inside the cast as well as acoustic measurement. It is shown that the fiber reinforced concrete technology provides an efficient, safe as well as cost-effective design solution for roadways, especially inside tunnels.