Characterization of Emulsion Wax Curing Agent as Bond-Breaker Medium in Jointed Concrete Pavement
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 23, Issue 6
Abstract
Bond-breaker media have been used with success to reduce and minimize undesirable cracks reflecting from cement-treated or lean-concrete subbases (LCSs). The common bond-breaking media include (1) emulsion slurry seal; (2) 30 to 60-mm-thin asphalt concrete; (3) one or two applications of wax-based curing compounds; (4) one or two layers of polyethylene sheets; and (5) geotextile. The cost differences among different bond-breaking media are significant for a highway project over 200 km long. Different types of tests (British pendulum friction, push off, pullout, and torsion) were performed to determine the cost-effectiveness of bond-breaking media. It was found that the bond stress had been reduced by approximately 90% when either emulsion wax curing compound (EWCC) or emulsion slurry seal was used. The results from the British pendulum, push-off, pullout, torsion, and cost analyses indicate that EWCC is the most cost-effective bond-breaker medium. Based on the observations from the laboratory testing and field trial section, the EWCC application rate was selected at . As evident from the push-off and torsion test results, the effectiveness of the EWCC as a bond-breaker medium decreased with time. Thus, a second application of EWCC is required if the LCS base has been exposed to the environment for more than 14 days. The 216-km project was successfully constructed with EWCC. It resulted in a more than $7 million savings by using EWCC instead of emulsion slurry seal. No distress or cracking has been observed after the section was opened to traffic for more than 1 year.
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Acknowledgments
This research is supported by the key project “Study on key technical issues on the project of upgrading the first-rate highway in the mountainous areas,” the section of Guangdong Transportation, the Transportation Department of Guangdong Province [Grant No. UNSPECIFIED(2007)1010].
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Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 23 • Issue 6 • December 2009
Pages: 447 - 455
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: May 9, 2008
Accepted: Apr 9, 2009
Published online: Apr 22, 2009
Published in print: Dec 2009
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