Abstract

The Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCPs) can resist high traffic demands without invasive maintenance interventions that produce delays, discomfort and even can affect users safety. However, sealing the joints of JPCPs and keeping them sealed for 10 years, costing up to 45% more than the Unsealed Joints (UnJs). As in addition the joint seals are not working well enough there is an increasing interest to eliminate them. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has reported savings of 6,000,000 US dollars annually due to the use of UnJs. The objective of the present paper is to evaluate the performance of UnJs in Bus Corridors (BCs), considering field measurements made in Santiago, the capital city of Chile. More than the joint performance itself the evaluation consider its effect in the pavement performance, so at the end upon the pavements clients. The evaluation of UnJs in BCs is important because they are the urban pavements with one of the highest traffic demands (in general over 5.000.000 Equivalent Single Axle Load). After 7 years in-service (average) the performance of UnJs in the BCs studied is considered adequate in terms of the potential effects upon the pavements clients. In effect, the joints affected by spalling are only 6%, without pumping and measurable joint faulting. These results, together with the 50 years of WisDOT experience, are showing that UnJs are a good alternative to optimize the design of urban JPCPs. Is recommended to continue the follow-up of the 90 UnJs studied and to extend the evaluation to areas with more intense rainfall than Santiago city (340 mm/year).