Durability of P.C. Concrete as Affected by Aggregate Size, Curing and Proportions, R-214, 1968

The durability of concrete is a most important aspect in pavement life. Deterioration of the interstate portland cement concrete pavement has prompted various studies of factors which may contribute to the durability. Studies of cores taken from deteriorated areas indicated that the larger particles of coarse aggregate may contribute greatly to the problem. This indication was mainly due to the analysis of the cracking pattern which showed that most of the cracks passed through the larger aggregates and the larger aggregate particles were more cracked than the smaller particles. The purpose of this project is to determine if the size of the coarse aggregate has a bearing on the durability of freeze and thaw beams. A secondary purpose of this project is to determine what effect the method of curing and proportions have on the durability of freeze and thaw beams.

Ultrathin Portland Cement Concrete Overlay Extended Evaluation, Construction Report, TR-432, 2000

In recent years, ultra-thin whitetopping (UTW) has evolved as a viable rehabilitation technique for deteriorated asphalt cement concrete (ACC) pavement. Numerous UTW projects have been constructed and tested, enabling researchers to identify key elements contributing to their successful performance. These elements include foundation support, interface bonding condition, portland cement concrete (PCC) overlay thickness, synthetic fiber reinforcement usage, joint spacing, and joint sealing. The interface bonding condition is the most important of these elements. It enables the pavement to act as a composite structure, thus reducing tensile stresses and allowing an ultra-thin PCC overlay to perform as intended. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) UTW project (HR-559) initiated UTW in Iowa. The project is located on Iowa Highway 21 between Iowa Highway 212 and U.S. Highway 6 in Iowa County, near Belle Plaine, Iowa. The objective of this research was to investigate the interface bonding condition between an ultra-thin PCC overlay and an ACC base over time, considering the previously mentioned variables. This research lasted for five years, at which time it was extended an additional five years. The new phase of the project was initiated by removing cracked panels existing in the 2-inch thick PCC sections and replacing them with three inches of PCC. The project extension (TR 432) will provide an increased understanding of slab bonding conditions over a longer period, as well as knowledge regarding the behavior of the newly rehabilitated areas. In order to accomplish the goals of the project extension, Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing will continue to be conducted. Laboratory testing, field strain gage implementation, and coring will no longer be conducted. This report documents the planning and construction of the rehabilitation of HR 559 and the beginning of TR 432 during August of 1999.

An Investigation of Portland Cement Concrete Utilizing 70% Class V Aggregate and 30% Calcareous Coarse Aggregate, R-255, 1973

The main sources of coarse aggregate for secondary slip form paving in Southwest Iowa exhibit undesirable "D" cracking. "D" cracking is a discoloration of the concrete caused by fine, hairline cracks. These cracks are caused by the freezing and thawing of moisture inside the coarse aggregate. The cracks are often hour glass shaped, are parallel to each other, and occur along saw joints. The B-4, a typical secondary mix, utilizes 50% fine aggregate and 50% coarse aggregate. It has been proposed that a concrete mix with less coarse aggregate and more fine aggregate might impede this type of deterioration. The Nebraska Standard 47B Mix, a 70% fine aggregate, and 30% coarse aggregate mix, as used by Nebraska Department of Roads produces concrete with ultimate strengths in excess of 4500 psi but because of the higher cost of cement (it is a six bag per cubic yard mix) is not competitive with our present secondary mixes. The sands of Southwest Iowa generally have poorer mortar strengths than the average Iowa Sand. Class V Aggregate also found in Southwest Iowa has a coarser sand fraction, therefore it has a better mortar strength, but exhibits an acidic reaction and therefore must be·used with limestone. This illustrates the need to find a mix for use in Southwest Iowa that possesses adequate strength and satisfactory durability at a low cost. The purpose of this study is to determine a concrete mix with an acceptable cement content which will produce physical properties similar to that of our present secondary paving mixes.

Evaluation of Fly Ash in Portland Cement Concrete Pavement in Monona County, Iowa, Construction Report, HR-200, 1978

The primary objectives of this research project were: 1. Determine and recommend solutions for problems relating to shipping, storing and batching of fly ash. 2. Establish a procedure for batching, mixing and placing uniform concrete with specified air content and consistency. 3. Demonstrate that concrete of comparable quality can be produced.

Durability of Concrete as Affected by Variations in Air and W/C Ratio, R-258, 1975

Many times during the past four years we have seen ranges in the durability factor for a single coarse aggregate source that were too great to be explained by variations in the coarse aggregate alone. The durability test (ASTM C 666 Method B) as presently used is a test of the concrete system rather than that of a particular coarse aggregate. An informal study of current durability factor data indicates that w/c ratio and/or percentage of air may be critical to beam growth and durability factor. The purpose of this project, R-258, is to determine the extent w/c ratio and air content variations have on beam growth and durability factor when other factors including coarse aggregate gradation are held constant.

Protection of Structural Concrete Substructures, HR-220, Progress Report, 1984

The corrosion of reinforcing steel within concrete has always been a problem in construction of bridge decks. With low slump concrete and epoxy rebar, progress has been made in controlling the corrosion. There is concern, however, that the chloride also attacks the substructures, specifically the pier columns. They are subject to chloride attack by chemical deicers in the drainage from the bridge deck. Piers supporting grade separation bridges are also subject to chlorides contained in the direct splash from the lower level traffic. In this project, a field evaluation was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of commercially available products in preventing chloride intrusion.

Behavior of Carbonate Rocks as Concrete Aggregates, HR-15, 1962

The problem of determining the suitability of carbonate rocks as concrete aggregates is extremely complex and calls for more new data than has been available or obtainable from usual methods. Since 1955 the approach which has served as a primary basis for the project has been to gather as much new information as possible to apply to the problem. New information obtained by new and different techniques provides better understanding. This approach was decided on since, in all prior studies, a standard petrographic and petrologic approach correlated in many instances with standard engineering tests did not provide the answer in Iowa or elsewhere. One can theorize that concrete fails (excluding external causes such as traffic, foundation failure, etc.) because of stresses of internal origin. The stresses can be of a physical nature, such as frost action, or result from chemical activity such as the alkali aggregate reaction. If, as service records show, the aggregate is considered the cause of distress in concrete, it will without doubt be the manner in which an aggregate can create or contribute to stress of internal origin by physical or chemical means. Therefore the main emphasis was placed on studying physical and chemical properties of aggregates as well as the behavior of carbonate rocks in concrete environments. Although standard geologic and engineering methods were also utilized, the approach adopted required considerable effort in devising new techniques and methods. This report is intended to be a detailed summary of the research performed. Whenever possible, the work accomplished will be summarized and all pertinent data will be included. For further details, reference to the various theses and publications transmitted with this report or at previous times will be made wherever possible.

Behavior of Asphalts During Production of Asphaltic Concrete Mixes, HR-107, 1965

When mixing asphalt in thin film and at high temperatures, as in the production of asphalt concrete, it has been shown that asphalt will harden due essentially to two factors: (1) losses of volatiles and (2) oxidation. The degree of hardening as expressed by percent loss in penetration varied from as low as 7% to about 57% depending on mixing temperatures, aggregate types, gradation, asphalt content, penetration and other characteristics of asphalts used. Methods used to predict hardening during mixing include loss on heat and thin film oven tests, with the latter showing better correlation with the field findings. However, information on other physical and chemical changes that may occur as a result of mixing in the production of hot-mix asphaltic concrete is limited, The purpose of this research project was to ascertain the changes of asphalt cement properties, both physical and chemical, during mixing operation and to determine whether one or more of the several tests of asphalt cements were critical enough to indicate these changes.

Recycling of Cass County I-80 Asphalt Concrete, Progress Report, HR-1011, 1977

Approximately 40,000 tons of slightly damaged asphalt concrete has been removed from Interstate 80 in Cass and stockpiled. Laboratory tests had indicated that this material had considerable value when upgraded with new aggregate and asphalt cement. This report documents the procedures used and results obtained on an experimental recycling project. It was demonstrated that present drum mixing-recycling equipment and procedures can be used to utilize this material with satisfactory results. Laboratory analyses of material components and mixtures were performed; these analyses indicate mixture can be produced that is uniform, stable, and very closely resembles mixture produced with all new material. Follow~up evaluations will be made to determine the effects of traffic and environment. Preliminary data indicate that plans should be made to incorporate the stockpiled material in projects near the stockpile site.

Study of Type 'A' Asphaltic Concrete Surface Mix Design, R-232, 1968

In some asphaltic concrete mixes asphalt absorption in field mixes is difficult to predict by the routine mix design tests presently being used. Latent or slow absorption in hot mixes is hard to compensate for in field control due to aggregate gradations being near maximum density. If critical asphalt need could be changed by increasing voids in the mineral aggregate so that more freedom could be exercised in compensating for the absorption, this may aid in design. The voids in the mineral aggregate can be related to composite gradation of total aggregate in a mixture, i.e. if a composite gradation of aggregate is finer than that of maximum density curve, the V.M.A. will be greater than that of a mix of maximum density. The typical gradation of Iowa Type 'A' mixes is finer than a gradation which is near the centerline of the specification at sieves larger than the No. 30 and coarser at the lower sieve sizes. The mixes of the typical gradation will have higher V.M.A. than those of the near centerline mixes. By studying properties of the mixes of the typical gradation and comparing them with those of the mixes of maximum density, it may aid in the modification and simplification of our present testing methods and specification requirements while still maintaining control of quality of the mix by controlling voids, stability, gradation and asphalt content.

Steam Curing of Portland Cement Concrete at Atmospheric Pressure, HR-40, 1962

The primary reason for using steam in the curing of concrete is to produce a high early strength. This high early strength is very desirable to the manufacturers of precast and prestressed concrete units, which often require expensive forms or stress beds. They want to remove the forms and move the units to storage yards as soon as possible. The minimum time between casting and moving the units is usually governed by the strength of the concrete. Steam curing accelerates the gain in strength at early ages, but the uncontrolled use of steam may seriously affect the growth in strength at later ages. The research described in this report was prompted by the need to establish realistic controls and specifications for the steam curing of pretensioned, prestressed concrete bridge beams and concrete culvert pipe manufactured in central plants. The complete project encompasses a series of laboratory and field investigations conducted over a period of approximately three years.

Fatigue Behavior of Air-Entrained Concrete, HR-183, 1977

When a material fails under a number of repeated loads, each smaller than the ultimate static strength, a fatigue failure is said to have taken place. Many studies have been made to characterize the fatigue behavior of various engineering materials. The results of some of these studies have proved invaluable in the evaluation and prediction of the fatigue strength of structural materials. Considerable time and effort has gone into the evaluation of the fatigue behavior of metals. These early studies were motivated by practical considerations: The first fatigue tests were performed on materials that had been observed to fail after repeated loading of a magnitude less than that required for failure under the application of a single load. Mine-hoist chains, railway axles, and steam engine parts were among the first structural components to be recognized as exhibiting fatigue behavior. Since concrete is usually subjected to static loading rather than cyclic loading, need for knowledge of the fatigue behavior of concrete has lagged behind that of metals. One notable exception to this, however, is in the area of highway and airfield pavement design. Due to the fact that the fatigue behavior of concrete must be understood in the design of pavements and reinforced concrete bridges, highway engineers have provided the motivation for concrete fatigue studies since the 1920's.

Bonded, Thin-Lift, Non-Reinforced Portland Cement Concrete Resurfacing, HR-191, 1980

A Research Project involving two, three, four and five inches of bonded Portland Cement Concrete Overlay on a 1.3 mile Portland Cement Concrete pavement was conducted in Clayton County, Iowa, during September, 1977, centering on the following objectives: 1. Determine the mixing and proportioning procedures required in using a conventional, central mix proportioning plant to produce a dense Portland Cement Concrete mixture using standard mixes with super-water reducing admixtures; 2. Determine the economics, longevity and maintenance performance of a bonded, thin-lift, non-reinforced Portland Cement Concrete resurfacing course using conventional procedures, equipment and concrete paving mixtures both with and without super-water reducing admixtures; 3. Determine if an adequate bond between the existing pavement and an overlay of thin-lift, dense, non-reinforced Portland Cement Concrete can be obtained with only special surface cleaning and no surface removal or grinding.

Fatigue Behavior of Air-Entrained Concrete: Phase II, HR-197, 1979

When a material fails under a number of repeated loads, each smaller than the ultimate static strength, a fatigue failure is said to have taken place. Many studies have been made to characterize the fatigue behavior of various engineering materials. The results of some of these studies have proved invaluable in the evaluation and prediction of the fatigue strength of structural materials. Considerable time and effort have gone into the evaluation of the fatigue behavior of metals. These early studies were motivated by practical considerations: the first fatigue tests were performed on materials that had been observed to fail after repeated loading of a magnitude less than that required for failure under the application of a single load. Mine-hoist chains (1829), railway axles (1852), and steam engine parts were among the first structural components to be recognized as exhibiting fatigue behavior. Since concrete is usually subjected to static loading rather than cyclic loading, need for knowledge of the fatigue behavior of concrete has lagged behind that of metals. One notable exception to this, however, is in the area of highway and airfield pavement design. Due to the fact that the fatigue behavior of concrete must be understood in the design of pavements and reinforced concrete bridges, highway engineers have provided the motivation for concrete fatigue studies since the 1920s.

Evaluation of Fly Ash in Portland Cement Concrete Paving in Woodbury County, Iowa, Final Report, HR-201, 1980

The earliest overall comprehensive work on the use of fly ash in concrete was reported by Davis and Associates of the University of California in 1937. Since that time, there have been numerous applications of the use and varying propertions of fly ash in portland cement concrete mixes. Fly ash is a pozzolanic powdery by-product of the coal combustion process which is recovered from flue gases and is, generally associated with electric power generating plants. Environmental regulations enacted in recent years have required that fly ash be removed from the flue gases to maintain clean air standards. This has resulted in an increased volume of high quality fly ash that is considered a waste product or a by-product that can be utilized in products such as portland cement concrete. There are several sources of the high quality fly ash located in Iowa currently producing a combined total of 281,000 tons of material annually.