Enhancing jointed plain concrete pavement performance analysis through remote data collection on oversize/overweight vehicles: evaluating damage costs and reduced service life

A large gap exists between actual performance of in-situ Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP) and mechanistic models for predicting performance under environmental and traffic loads. JPCP response measurement using instrumented sensors and data acquisition systems is one of the most reliable approaches to bridging the gap. Field instrumentation plays a significant role in validating mechanistic models and establishing correlations between input variables related to JPCP distresses. This paper details the steps and methodology of field instrumentation for installing a remote data-acquisition system in conjunction with JPCP reconstruction conducted in Monona County, Iowa. The data acquisition system installed on-site includes a portable weigh-in-motion system and state-of-the-art sensors for evaluating environmental and traffic impacts on the reconstructed JPCP section by measuring pavement responses related to structural distress. A Finite-Element-Method (FEM)-based JPCP model was also developed and validated using in situ data, ensuring that the model accurately reflects in situ conditions of JPCP and can be reliably used for JPCP analysis under Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) vehicle loads. A life-cycle cost analysis was then conducted to quantify the service-life reduction and the associated costs of JPCP damage due to OSOW vehicle traffic, thereby demonstrating economic implications of accommodating OSOW vehicles on JPCP system.