Prediction of Longitudinal Fatigue Cracking in Rigid Pavements using RadiCAL

The capability of the software program RadiCAL to predict longitudinal fatigue cracking in jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) was studied to assess several sections in multiple climatic regions in California. RadiCAL fatigue cracking predictions were compared against measured distresses using the Caltrans’ pavement management system. Using this approach, RadiCAL was able to correctly predict zero or near-zero longitudinal cracking in newer JPCPs. The predictive performance for older JPCPs was variable and dependent upon defining proper input variables, including built-in curl and the concrete’s flexural strength. Issues such as random joint spacing and skewed joints complicated analyses for some sections as well. The challenges and solutions to using an existing pavement management system database for verification and eventual calibration are also described. This design verification stage of RadiCAL will help develop future versions of the software, as transfer functions between stress, damage, and cracking will be further enhanced to align with measured distresses in the state.