Experimental Evaluation of Interface Friction and Study of Its Influence on Concrete Pavement Response

In cement concrete pavements, a separation membrane is usually placed between the base and the concrete slab to make the interface condition smooth. A smoother interface condition offers less resistance to the movement of the slab caused by variation in temperature and moisture. However, a rough interface is useful in reducing load associated stresses. As the degree of bonding between the slab and the foundation influences the friction mobilized at the interface, a realistic assessment of interface friction is necessary for rational design of concrete pavements. In the present study, the interface friction of typical concrete pavements was evaluated by performing a number of push-off tests. For this purpose, concrete slabs were laid over different types of bases with smooth as well as rough interface condition. A parametric analytical study was conducted using finite-element method to evaluate the effect of different interface conditions on the critical responses of pavement subjected to the combined action of axle load and temperature variation.