RESEARCH PAYS OFF: COST-EFFECTIVE LOAD TRANSFER RESTORATION OF JOINTED CONCRETE PAVEMENTS

The use of retrofit load transfer on jointed portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) as a preventive maintenance technique or as part of a concrete pavement restoration or rehabilitation project will significantly extend the service life of the pavement. The technique is relatively rapid and involves minimum traffic disruption. Combined with other pavement restoration methods, this technique has the potential to extend the service life of pavements by 10-20 years, depending on the pavement condition at the time of the repair, the volume of heavy truck traffic, and the quality of the retrofitted load transfer design and construction. This article provides details on the history of retrofit joint load transfer and on its cost effectiveness.