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Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Road Research

NRRA Rigid Team

MnROAD | NRRA | Structure & Teams | Rigid Team

Evaluation of Long-Term Impacts of Early Opening of Concrete Pavements

Status: Complete
Project Start Date: December 11, 2017
Project End Date: August 31, 2021

Project summary

This project will help to establish a method for determining when a Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement or patch can be opened earliest to traffic without compromising its long-term performance. To achieve it, the very early-age fatigue damage and associated long-term distress in PCC pavement subjected to early opening will be evaluated and monitored. This will verify early-opening methodologies recent research has proposed. The objectives of this study will be:

  • Evaluate visible and non-visible immediate and long-term damage caused by early age loading. To achieve it, a comprehensive analysis of sensor reading and non-destructive test results should be conducted.
  • Quantify the effect of early loading damage on long-term performance.
  • Determine minimum strength at opening or other measurable variables associated with this parameter.
  • Recommend strategies for minimizing or avoiding early loading damage detrimental to long-term performance.

Project tasks/status

Original Need Statement: Early Opening Strength to Traffic (DOC) - June 20, 2017

Task 1: Synthesis

Task 2: Evaluation of early loading damage

Task 3: Year 1 cell performance report

Task 4: Year 2 cell performance report

Task 5: Development of early opening to traffic criteria

Task 6: Compile report, Technical Advisory Panel review and revisions

Task 7: Editorial review and publication of final report

Task 8A: Initial memorandum on research benefits and implementation steps

Task 8B: Finish memorandum on research benefits and implementation steps

Project team

Email the Project Team
Principal Investigator: Lev Khazanovich, Professor, The University of Pittsburgh
Technical Liaison: Bernard Izevbekhai, Research Operations Engineer, MnDOT
Project Technical Advisory Panel (TAP):

  • Tom Burnham, MnDOT
  • Bernard Izevbekhai, MnDOT
  • James Krstulovich, Illinois DOT
  • Maria Masten, MnDOT
  • Jim Wilde, MSU

Final report

Final published report, 10/12/2021