INFLUENCE OF DOWEL BARS ON LOAD TRANSFER EFFICIENCY AND THERMAL STRESSES IN CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT

In this study a detailed Three-Dimensional Finite Element(3D FE)model is used to investigate the state of contact stresses, mid slab stresses, and load transfer efficiency(LTE)developed in dowel jointed concrete pavements under the influence of combined impact and thermal loads. The results indicate that the influence of temperature variations on LTE of doweled joints is very large, that the application of a negative temperature gradient made for reducing deflections at joints and LTE of a specific pavement is time dependant. The influence of dowel bars at transverse joints on loading stresses and thermal stresses at the critical load position can be ignored, and the influence coefficient of dowel bars at longitudinal joints on thermal stresses is 1.02―1.05.