The 2004 edition of Austroads rigid pavement design guide has been based on the work of Packard and Tayabji (1985) which is known as the PCA method. In this method, a number of input parameters are needed to calculate the required concrete base thickness based on the cumulative damage process due to fatigue of concrete and erosion of subbase or subgrade materials. While the PCA method has been known as the most widely used mechanistic design procedure for rigid pavement, it has a number of limitations. This paper reviews the 2004 design guide, introduces a design software specifically developed to study the guide and highlights some important points. In addition, a finite element program EverFE2.23 has been used to determine the critical configuration and position of axle groups. Results of the current study show the complex interdependence of the many parameters. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the critical location of axle groups on pavement is not as simple as described in the guide but depends on the boundary condition between concrete base and subbase as well as the temperature and moisture gradients within the depth of the concrete base. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. 0612AR242E.
Samenvatting