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Updated: Jun 18, 2025

A Method for Studying the Temperature Dependence of Dynamic Fracture and Fragmentation
Published on: June 28, 2015
Finite element modeling of active cracking in actively reinforced concrete pavement slab exposed to fluctuating
Muhammad Kashif1, Ahsan Naseem2, Kennedy Chibuzor Onyelowe3
1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
Abstract:
The continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) system grapples with challenges such as non-uniform transverse crack patterns and the need for substantial reinforcement. Field research on the Belgian CRCP sections along motorway E313 indicates that active cracking induced by partial surface saw-cuts consistently leads to transverse crack patterns. This study introduces an innovative modification to the CRCP: the actively reinforced concrete pavement design (ARCP). The ARCP leverages partial surface saw-cuts to reduce reinforcement needs by replacing continuous-length steel bars with partial-length counterparts. The main objective of the present study is to develop a 3D finite element (FE) model capturing the active cracking behavior of ARCP under realistic external temperature variations. Comparative analysis with CRCP considers early-age crack patterns, crack strain development, and the distribution of maximum steel stress for different steel ratios (0.67%, 0.75%, and 0.85%). FE simulation results align with field data, indicating that ARCP exhibits similar early-age cracking behavior to CRCP but with a significant 24 to 42% reduction in total reinforcement. This innovation presents a promising avenue for addressing CRCP challenges while optimizing material usage in pavement construction.
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