Joint performance evaluation for a Canadian precast concrete inlay panel trial

The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario in Canada recently undertook a pilot study of using precast concrete inlay panels to rehabilitate high-volume asphalt highway pavements. Three different versions of this rehabilitation strategy were designed and constructed. The pilot study was constructed on a high-volume highway in Ontario in 2016 and subjected to service conditions. One of the performance measures being tracked for the project is Load-Transfer Efficiency (LTEδ), measured via Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing. Two FWD evaluations were performed on the pavement section: immediately following construction, and after one year of service. The LTEδ performances of the different design strategies are summarised and analysed, using least significant difference statistical analysis. Similarly, the potential for sub-panel voids is measured using zero-load back-calculation. Because of the limitations of LTEδ in measuring joint performance, a relative displacement measure (RD75) is developed and its use is outlined and recommended as a meaningful measure of joint performance based on FWD test results.