Before 1968 concrete pavements were used only in exceptional circumstances in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). They were constructed by means of hand methods and rudimentary plants that did not produce the longitudinal profile needed for modern traffic. As a result, the use of concrete pavements was discontinued during the 1950s and 1960s. The results of the AASHTO road test, however, and studies and observations of modern concrete pavement performance, notably in the United States, stimulated interest in modern concrete pavements as a means of accommodating the rapidly growing traffic loading on South African highways. Construction of modern concrete pavements in the RSA, which commenced in 1968, has been accelerating since the mid-1970s. The technology that is currently being applied is based on that used in areas of the united states with similar climatic conditions. Because it is now recognised that existing concrete pavement designs are probably conservative for South African conditions, an extensive research and testing program has been initiated. The primary objectives of this program are to design more economical concrete pavements and to develop more economical methods for their rehabilitation.
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