Precast pavement is a unique solution for pavement construction that utilizes prefabricated concrete panels for rapid pavement construction. It is used primarily for rehabilitation or reconstruction of existing pavement but can also be used for as new construction.
Hundreds of lane-miles of precast concrete pavement systems (PCPS) have been constructed in the United States and Canada since 2001. Precast pavement has now passed the test of time in several places around the country, notably, in Georgetown, Texas.
The Georgetown, Texas precast concrete pavement (PCP) project was the first demonstration of the precast prestressed concrete pavement (PPCP) concept that stemmed from an FHWA-sponsored feasibility study performed during the late 1990s by Dr. Frank McCullough, Dr. Ned Burns, and Mr. David Merritt at the Center for Transportation Research at The University of Texas at Austin. While researchers were hoping for a test section at least a few hundred feet long, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Austin District Engineer, Mr. Bill Garbade, had bigger ideas. He selected an approximately 2,300 ft long section of the I-35 frontage road in Georgetown, currently undergoing reconstruction, for the demonstration. The pavement was designed for traffic conditions similar to the main lanes of Interstate 35, which would have required a 14 inch continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). However, because the pavement was prestressed, only 8-inch-thick precast panels were necessary. The precast panels were placed over a 2-inch-thick asphalt base over granular sub-base. The project was opened to traffic in 2002 and has not required any maintenance over the past 20 years.
The project was successful in demonstrating the PPCP concept and led to additional projects throughout the country, which have further demonstrated the benefits of rapid construction and long-term durability. Projects constructed in urban areas in Delaware and Virginia in 2009 and California in 2011 are still demonstrating excellent performance, requiring little to no maintenance.
According to FHWA, as of 2019 over two dozen states have implemented PCP programs and demonstration projects for rapid repair of roadways. Significant advances have been made in both design and construction, further fine-tuning initial PCP concepts. Current PCP systems are effectively becoming standard practice for rapid pavement reconstruction, and older installations are demonstrating the expected long-term performance. Although a few projects have encountered panel installation quality related issues, the use of PCP by highway agencies is considered a success.
It’s not enough to repair a pavement quickly. If you are looking for more than just a temporary fix, you need something that will last. Precast concrete has proven to be a durable, high-performance solution for pavements.
(Sources: FHWA: Report No. FHWA-HIF-19-013 and ACI: Celebrating the Twentieth Anniversary of Modern Precast Concrete Pavement Implementation)
