Introduction

The validity and defensibility of a performance-related specification (PRS) depends on the accurate prediction of pavement performance, which is described in terms of distress indicators (i.e., transverse cracking, transverse joint faulting, transverse joint spalling, and pavement smoothness).  The implementation of a PRS requires considerable knowledge of how these distress indicators develop over time, as well as the specific construction and material-related acceptance quality characteristics (AQC’s) that influence them.  The entire process is made even more difficult by considering the variation of the material- and construction-related AQC’s.  Therefore, in an attempt to move toward creating an implementable PRS, two of the goals of the current research were identified as the following:

• Establish the "typical" variations associated with the AQC’s to be included in the PRS for concrete pavements—This information will be used to provide guidance to agencies in setting the target as-designed standard deviations.

• Establish additional (and improve existing) distress indicator prediction models to be included in the PRS for concrete pavements—Each of these prediction models must be associated with one or more AQC’s that are measurable and under the control of the contractor.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted to facilitate this research.  The search was limited to the investigation of the following AQC’s identified by the research team:

• Concrete strength.
• Slab thickness.
• Entrained air void parameters.
• Initial smoothness.
• Joint sawcut depth.
• Timing of joint sawing.
• Percent consolidation around dowels.
• Dowel misalignment.
• Tie bar depth deviation (from midslab) and alignment.
• Effectiveness of curing.
• Depth of tining.

Although the literature search identified many general jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) PRS documents, the search specifically focused on identifying previous studies in which: (1) the effects of concrete pavement AQC’s on pavement performance were well documented and (2) the variations of concrete pavement AQC’s were reported and documented in an unbiased manner.

The literature search consisted of on-line queries of the Transportation Research Information System (TRIS), National Technical Information Service (NTIS), and Engineering Index (EI) Compendex computer databases.  Approximately 170 references from these sources were identified, acquired, and carefully reviewed. Annotations were prepared for each pertinent document and are presented in appendix F.   This appendix (appendix C) contains a summary of the relevant information obtained from the literature review.