IRC 2019, New Delhi

Alignment of dowel bars in concrete roads –

requirements and verification
 Introduction: Dowel bars in contraction joints

Function of Load transfer across the joint

dowel bars Avoidance of faulting

Accurate dowel bar positions

Position of
contribute to the longevity of
dowel bars
the road.

…to secure a good quality of dowel

Non-destructive (NDT)
Inspection of testing technologies allow
dowel bars the extensive inspection of
dowel bar positions
bar positions
…to better understand the impact of
dowel misalignment and mislocation
on the road performance
 Optimal dowel bar positions

Longitudinal position:
bar center in the joint cut plane

Vertical position:
bar in vertical center of concrete slab

Horizontal position:
uniform bar spacing (300 mm in India)

Horizontal and vertical rotation:

centerline perpendicular to plane of the
joint cut
 Mislocations and misalignments

Horizontal misalignment:
Longitudinal translation: Horizontal translation:
deviation from prescribed
deviation from prescribed deviation from prescribed
horizontal orientation
longitudinal position horizontal position
 Mislocations and misalignments

Vertical translation: Vertical misalignment:

deviation from prescribed deviation from prescribed
vertical position vertical orientation
 Effects of mislocated and misaligned dowel bars

Longitudinal Misalignment: Vertical translation:

translation: Locked joints – Reduced load transfer,
Reduced load transfer spalling and cracking corrosion, spalling and
cracking
 Methods for dowel position testing

Destructive Non-destructive

• Accurate • Accuracy depends on

• Reliable technology and influences

• Expensive • Cost-saving
• Destruction of the road • Leaves road intact
• Only spot checks • Comprehensive tests
 Methods for dowel position testing

Pulse-induction GPR Ultrasound

Strength of magnetic Travel time of Travel time of ultrasonic

Measurand
fields electromagnetic waves sound waves

• Very accurate General survey:

• Immediate results can determine concrete condition around bars
• Automated signal (delamination, voids)
analysis

• Influence by foreign • Influence by concrete properties (e.g.

metal objects composition, moisture)
(e.g. tie bars) • Less accurate (depends on signal resolution)
• No results for longitudinal translation
• Time-consuming scans, manual analysis
 Pulse-induction method

Pulse-induction is the well-

established measuring method
in North America and Europe.

It is applied in the measuring

instrument MIT-SCAN2-BT that
was especially developed for
dowel position testing.

Three field tests with this

method took place in the
Greater New Delhi area in 2017
 Dowel position testing in India

Measuring site A Two old lanes with baskets and one added lane

Joint 1 - old lanes:

Regular bar positions

Joint 1 - added lane:

Decreasing bar depth

Signal charts
 Dowel position testing in India

Measuring site B Two lanes in a new highway (dowels installed with DBI)

Joint 1:
Longitudinal translation
to left

Joint 3:
Longitudinal translation
to right

Signal charts
 Dowel position testing in India

Measuring site C 9 joints in a new highway with varying quality of dowel positions

Regular bar positions

Great longitudinal trans-

lation at beginning

Great misalignments

Signal charts
 Summary of measurements in India

Small number of measurements demonstrated:…

• Good dowel bar positions are achievable with the applied technology.
• Not all joints contain good dowel bar positions.

The quality of the dowel positions was influenced by various factors:

• Manual installation of dowel bars proven to be unfit
• Parts of the process not carried out properly (e.g. marking of the joint cut position)
• Machine setup not matching with the requirements (e.g. bar spacing)

Dowel positions have to be tested comprehensively with NDT-equipment to secure their quality.
 Specifications for dowel bar positions

Indian Standard Specifications and Code of Practice for Construction of

specifications Concrete Roads

Specifications • Desired positions

Bar positions
have to contain • Tolerances for deviation

• Requirements for test equipment

Testing • Testing procedures for process validation
• Testing procedures for process control

• Corrective actions when measured dowel

Consequences positions are not acceptable
• Penalties
Bar positions: How to determine tolerances for misalignment

Factors for the determination of meaningful tolerances for mislocation and misalignment

Correlation between Limitations by equipment,

Capability of test
misalignment and workmanship, concrete
equipment
longevity of road properties

Tolerances should be…

as small as necessary to ensure as large as possible to meet the

the longevity of the road capabilities of contractors
 Bar positions: How to determine tolerances for misalignment

These considerations have been subject of several field studies during the last 15 years.
especially in the US, in Canada and in Germany

• Studies were carried out with non-destructive test equipment (MIT-SCAN2-BT dowel scanner)
• Several ten thousand dowel bars were measured
• Evaluation lead to revision of earlier tolerances
 Bar positions: International tolerances (examples)

Longitudinal Hor. & vert.

Country Vertical translation
translation misalignment
India 25 mm 50 mm 9 mm
USA 25 mm 50 mm 15 mm
Canada dependent on
40 mm 15 mm
(Ontario) slab thickness
Germany 20 mm 50 mm 18 mm
Belgium 20 mm 50 mm 18 mm
Poland 20 mm 50 mm 18 mm
Czech 20 mm 50 mm 18 mm
 Dowel position testing: enforcing specified standards

Testing for process validation Testing for process control

Trial section Sample of daily production

Ensure prior to the start of production Ensure that production paving keeps
paving that the process is under control producing acceptable quality

Only non-destructive measurement affords the testing of a sufficient number of joints

and leaves the road intact
 Summary

Accurate dowel bar positions are important for the quality and life-span of concrete roads.

Non-destructive measurement is the means to evaluate a large number of joints.

NDT is already established in Europe and North America.

First experiences with NDT have been made in India.

Significant problems with dowel positions have been identified.

Installation process must be monitored to avoid gross errors.

Standards have to establish effective guidelines that enforce consistent monitoring.

Destructive measurement is no equivalent alternative to NDT.