Concrete overlays offer cost-effective, versatile, short- and long-term solutions for the full range of concrete, asphalt, and composite pavement needs. In addition, concrete overlays contribute to more sustainable construction practices by preserving pavement service for several decades beyond its original design life.
Many agencies have improved the overall condition of their roadway networks over time via the strategic use of concrete overlays. Under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)‘s “Every Day Counts round six (EDC)-6 initiative”, the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center) has recently released new resources designed for agencies considering introducing concrete overlays into their “mix of fixes.” These resources include two TECHNICAL SUMMARIES—December 2021:
Click to go to PDF of the guide
TECH SUMMARY: Advancing Concrete Pavement Technology Solutions: CONCRETE OVERLAYS—THE VALUE PROPOSITION … Describing concrete overlays’ excellent performance history and low lifetime costs.
This guide presents the basic principles that a pavement engineer needs to design and construct concrete overlays on existing asphalt, composite, and concrete pavements. It is not a step-by-step manual or series of prescriptive formulae. Instead, the material in this guide is presented in the form of expert guidance meant to supplement the professional experience of the reader. The intent of this guide is to:
• Increase the technical proficiency of experienced engineers in the use of concrete overlays
• Provide less experienced users with the essential knowledge to address the needs of various types of concrete overlay projects
• Help all users recognize the versatility of concrete overlays—whether on low-volume roads, city streets, primary roadways, or Interstate highways.
This fourth edition of the guide has been updated with current information on:
• Continuously reinforced concrete pavement overlays
• Geotextile separation layers
• Fiber reinforcement
• Concrete overlay design procedures
• Lessons learned from the experiences of numerous state highway agency engineers.
For the link, please click on the image above, or go to: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/2021/12/concrete_overlays-the_value_proposition_web.pdf?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=008b008b08-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-008b008b08-169971045
Click to go to PDF of the guide
TECHNICAL SUMMARY: CONCRETE OVERLAYS A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY—includes a technical overview, guidance on effective deployment, lessons learned, an annotated list of resources, and 11 wide-ranging case studies. While concrete overlays are used routinely and successfully in many states, a greater number of states currently have limited or no experience with the technology. The purpose of this document is to introduce concrete overlay selection, design, and construction practices to those who may not be familiar with this rehabilitation option.
This document is not a detailed design guide, but rather a resource of concrete overlay technology. The material includes a technical overview of:
• Concrete overlays
• Guidance on effective deployment
• Lessons learned from decades of projects
• Annotated list of additional resources
• 11 case histories demonstrating the versatility of concrete overlays.
For the link, please click on the image above, or go to: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/2021/12/concrete_overlays-a_proven_technology_web.pdf?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=008b008b08-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-008b008b08-169971045
There is also a CP Tech November 2021 comprehensive guide to concrete overlays titled “Guide to Concrete Overlays Fourth Edition” (see link below)—a field application program to:
• Help state DOTs successfully construct concrete overlays
• A guide for existing concrete overlay design methodology
• A guide for the development of a concrete overlay project that includes:
– typical construction drawings
– specification guidance
– cost information
– design lessons learned
Along with these two new guides, there is a variety of RESOURCES ON CONCRETE OVERLAYS developed by the CP Tech Center and its partners. They include the following (click on each to go to presentations):
- Innovation with Concrete Overlays for DOTs and Municipalities (Tritsch, Smith, & Stuart–2021)—Slides / Q&A
- Concrete Overlays: A Proven Technology (Technical Overview) (Taylor & Fick–2021)—Slides
- PCC Overlays: Fabric & Fiber (Cackler & King–2021)—Slides
- Introduction to Concrete Overlays (Taylor & King–2020)—Slides / Q&A
- Overlays Overview, Existing Pavement Evaluation, and Overlay Selection (Taylor, Smith, & Dean–2020)—Slides / Q&A
- Concrete Overlay Design: Design Functions and Thickness (Ferrebee & Folkestad–2020)—Slides / Q&A
- Concrete Overlay Plans, Maintenance of Traffic, and Construction (Fick & Burwell–2020)—Slides / Q&A
- Maintenance of Concrete Overlays and Available Resources (Smith, Zeller, Tritsch, & Byers–2020)—Slides / Q&A
Because concrete overlays are not one-size-fits-all, they have such a record of success in improving network conditions. Additionally, series of one-page FLYERS: “Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions (TOPS)” recently published by the CP Tech Center, shows how concrete overlay solutions can be targeted to fit treatment to a wide range of existing pavement conditions: SERIES of FLYERS: www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_6/docs/tops_concrete_overlays.pdf?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=008b008b08-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-008b008b08-169971045
Important CP Tech Center LINKS:
CP Tech Center Concrete Overlays Webpage:
https://cptechcenter.org/concrete-overlays/?utm_source=CP+Tech+Center&utm_campaign=008b008b08-RESOURCES+Newsletter+March–April+2021_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_07a32343e1-008b008b08-169971045
Concrete Overlays Resources Page: https://cptechcenter.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4bf55bc365dca0e5c928442da&id=33f1ed4056&e=2945805a7f
Guide to Concrete Overlays Fourth Edition: November 2021: https://intrans.iastate.edu/app/uploads/2021/11/guide_to_concrete_overlays_4th_Ed_web.pdf