Design of Dowels in Transverse Joints of Concrete Pavements

Abstract

Technical literature lacks a rational solution for the deflections and stresses in and around dowels through transverse joints in concrete pavements. The action of the dowel may be established according to general elastic formulas governing for an elastic structure in a yielding mass. These elastic equations are presented herein in simple form and are applied to round dowels such as may be used in road joints under assumed, approximately correct, conditions of yield in the concrete around the dowels. The economical length of dowels is indicated.