Figure 29: Results provided by the web-tool

Figure 29: Results provided by the web-tool.

6.1 Example Simulations

To demonstrate the effect of varying location, construction month, traffic pattern, and PCC thickness, the following examples were simulated using the web tool. The other settings remain at the values shown in Figure 25. The maturity model will be used for each case with PCC maturity at the time of opening of 304 °C-hr and the calculated PCC flexural strength at the time of opening of 346 psi. If the shear wave velocity were to be used as the evaluation method, the velocity at the time of opening would be 2336 m/s.

 Case 1: Region 4, paved in May, Minor Arterial, 6-inch PCC thickness  Case 2: Region 2, paved in October, Minor Arterial, 6-inch PCC thickness  Case 3: Region 2, paved in May, Residential, 6-inch PCC thickness  Case 4: Region 2, paved in May, Minor Arterial, 9-inch PCC thickness

6.1.1 Case 1: Changing Location

For this web tool, Pennsylvania was divided into regions that groups the regional offices of PennDOT with others with similar climates. The only exception is Erie County whose severe climate due to the lakes puts it into its own region. Case 1 investigates the change of location from Region 2 (Districts 1, 10, 11, and 12) to Region 4 (Districts 3 and 4). In this simulation, the cracking and dowel bar performance change only slightly to 89% and 74.6%, respectively. The result that changes the most is the ESAL repetitions to design strength which increases to 1058 ESALs due the differing climates causing a difference in rate of strength gain. A pavement in Region 4 will need more time to reach the design strength when compared to the same pavement in Region 2.