NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF EARLY-AGE CURLING BEHAVIOR OF CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT

Based on 1/4 slab simulation program, considering the interface friction between the slab and base, a simulation program for 3D early-age curling of full-scale slab was developed and validated by field experiments. Compared with the 1/4 slab program, full-scale slab programs which consider the interface friction may reduce displacement at the corner of the slab, and the magnitude of daily variation and slab displacement calculated by full-scale slab program are more identical to experimental results. Additionally, the calculation iterative convergence is greatly influenced by parameters of the interface between slab and base. Due to process effect in early age slabs, lots of complex responses are evidenced in slabs under different case combinations. Simulation results show that early-age slabs display curling movement from the corner to 1/4 of the distance away from the center of slab. Asymmetric curling in the slab is caused by different boundary constraints. Under superimposed and repeated effects (remember-relax-remember) over 28 days in summer, a positive built-in temperature difference exists in slabs generally. Owing to the complexity of concrete early-age behavior, further research in model optimization, characteristics of early-age material parameters, and the effect of construction technology on numerical simulation of early-age slabs are suggested.