Fast-Track Construction for Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation
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abstract
This case study presents an innovative fast-track reconstruction approach applied to a heavily trafficked Long-Life (30-plus years) Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (LLPRS) project on I-15 in Devore in Southern California. A 4.5-km stretch of badly damaged concrete truck lanes was rebuilt over two 215-h (approximately 9-day) periods with one-roadbed full closures with counterflow traffic and around-the-clock (24 h per day/7 days per week) construction operations. The same project would have taken 10 months to complete with traditional nighttime closures. State-of-practice technologies were adopted on this Rapid Rehab project to accelerate construction, mitigate traffic disruptions, and propagate project information. From the initial planning and design stages, engineers used CA4PRS (Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies) software incorporated with traffic simulation models to develop an optimal and economical rehabilitation scenario. Postconstruction data validated the preconstruction analysis and simulation estimates of productivity and traffic delays. Because of the implementation of an Automated Work Zone Information System and proactive public outreach, a 20% reduction in traffic demand through the construction work zone was achieved and thereby reduced the maximum peak hour delay to a tolerable level. Surveys on the project website showed dramatic changes in public perception of the Rapid Rehab extended closures approach from initial reluctance and objection to positive support. Advantages of using this method of fast-track accelerated highway reconstruction included less traffic disruption for the traveling public, longer (more than 30 years) pavement life expectancy, improved safety for motorists and workers, and reduced agency cost compared with the traditional approach using repeated nighttime closures.
