Building Contoured Pavements With Precast Concrete Pavement Slabs

When precast pavement slabs were first introduced for rapidly replacing and repairing concrete pavement in the early 2000’s, it was commonly believed by roadway engineers and precasters that flat, single-plane slabs could be used in most roadway locations. It has now become apparent that, while flat single-plane panels works in locations where the original roadway is straight and even slightly curved, contoured roadways require similarly-contoured (warped) precast replacement panels. This paper focuses on how highway geometrical features, such as horizontal and vertical curves, super-elevation transitions, vertical and horizontal departures of existing pavement from as-built locations and vertical and horizontal geometry of intersecting roadways, may significantly affect the geometric design, fabrication and installation of mildly-reinforced and precast prestressed pavement slabs. Particular reference will be made to the importance of including parameters for designing and installing non-planar precast pavements in contract plans and specifications.