Joint resealing is a vital tool in the Concrete Pavement Preservation (CPP) toolbox. For many concrete pavements, proactively sealing or filling transverse and longitudinal joints and cracks to reduce water penetration improves long-term pavement performance. Performed alone, joint resealing is a maintenance activity.

This study outlines the effectiveness of dowel bar retrofit (DBR) as a concrete pavement preservation tool. DBR restores load transfer across joints and cracks by installing dowel bars to link adjoining slabs. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) pioneered this method in 1992 and has since widely adopted it due to its success. The study highlights DBR’s long-lasting benefits, environmental friendliness, traffic efficiency, flexibility, ease of bidding, and cost-effectiveness.

Although the introduction of profile measurement equipment using spot lasers significantly improved the ability to more accurately measure and evaluate smoothness, spot sensors often erroneously report excessively high readings – most notably on longitudinally grooved/tined and diamond grinding surface textures.

CGR (slurry) roadside application may improve soil while reducing cost of disposal. As part of the diamond grinding process, water used to cool cutting blades combines with hardened cement paste and aggregate particulates, creating a byproduct kwon as concrete grinding residue (CGR), or slurry. Beginning in 2016, ISU conducted a study on behalf of MnDOT to evaluate slurry deposit impact on vegetation and soils.

Diamond grinding offers a more permanent solution and is a cost-effective procedure to repair PCC pavement roughness, increase friction and reduce tire/pavement noise. The carbide milling process is not a substitute for diamond grinding when performing surface restoration and improvement on concrete pavement. Diamond grinding of concrete pavement leaves a surface which is often as good as new pavement.

The Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS) is the quietest non-porous concrete pavement surface available. NGCS is a hybrid texture that resembles a combination of diamond grinding and longitudinal grooving. Benefits of NGCS is a smoother ride, increased safety and decreased noise.