Development of a Fatigue Damage Model for Roller Compacted Concrete Pavement Based on In Situ Saw-Cut Beams and Accelerated Pavement Performance

As a durable, economical, and low-maintenance concrete material, roller compacted concrete (RCC) is steadily becoming the preferred choice for many pavement applications. However, the fatigue models in current pavement thickness design procedures have generally been found to over-predict the RCC pavement fatigue damage under in situ heavy truck loading. In this study, a comprehensive beam fatigue test experiment was performed using field saw-cut RCC slab samples from two full-scale accelerated pavement testing (APT) sections to investigate the fatigue behavior of in situ RCC pavements. This is the first research study to investigate the fatigue behavior of field RCC beam samples prepared and constructed with a high-density asphalt-type paver and a vibratory roller. The results indicate that a well-compacted RCC pavement can achieve higher flexural strength and exhibit better fatigue life than conventional concrete pavement. Based on the beam fatigue test results and in situ fatigue performance of APT test sections, an RCC fatigue-life model was developed, providing a more accurate solution for estimating the allowable number of load repetitions of RCC pavements subjected to vehicular fatigue loading. This model could be used in RCC thickness design procedures to determine the optimum RCC design thickness and long-term fatigue performance of RCC pavements for roadway application.