Construction of RCC Pavements

The differences between RCC and jointed concrete pavement are most evident in the construction methods used. RCC is:

• Placed with a high-density asphalt paver
• Compacted with a combination of passes with the vibratory roller
• Placed without forms, reinforcing steel, or surface finishing

As noted earlier, sawcutting has not always been used in RCC construction, but it is gaining popularity as a measure to maintain small crack widths and good load transfer. It is well accepted that tight cracks are more conducive to high load transfer, which is an important feature of roadway design.

Other differences can be found in the texture of the final surface (see figure 5). The texture of the RCC surface is more open, similar to an asphalt concrete (AC) surface, since the mixture designs consist of similar aggregate gradations and shares similar placement methods. Some have noted that an RCC surface can lose some fine aggregate in the initial years of service. This loss can be minimized if the surface is diamond ground after construction. Diamond grinding is often performed to facilitate roadway smoothness and provide for better surface texture with desirable frictional characteristics.