Swedish Concrete Roads : Performance, Damages and Rehabilitation 10-30 Years after Construction

Abstract: This thesis presents a comprehensive investigation on the performance and durability of five concrete roads in Sweden focusing on the time after 2010. The studied roads include Arlanda, Falkenberg Part 1 (Heberg-Långås), Falkenberg Part 2 (Heberg-Fastarp), Eskilstuna, and Uppsala. The study focuses on various aspects, such as strength, wear and tear, evenness, friction, and rehabilitation measures, to assess the overall condition and maintenance requirements of each road. Initially, the concrete roads were constructed with compressive strengths of 60 MPa for all roads except Arlanda, which was built with a higher strength of 80 MPa. The study tracks the development of concrete strength over time, considering factors like the type of cement used, water-to-cement ratio, concrete age, and prevailing temperature and humidity conditions. Analysing both wear and tear patterns and road evenness allows for a comprehensive understanding of the performance of right hand lanes K1 across all five concrete roads. By examining these patterns and comparing K1 lanes among all five concrete roads, and also comparing K1 and K2 lanes, the study aims to assess the impact of heavy truck traffic, which is more frequent on K1 lanes, while K2 lanes experience less intense traffic. The primary objective is to identify the factors contributing to the varying levels of deterioration and damage observed in these concrete roads. Furthermore, the thesis explores the frictional factors related to road safety and comfort wear, with a specific focus on identifying the appropriate friction factors for concrete roads. The friction factor plays a vital role in maintaining vehicle stability and reducing braking distance, especially in adverse weather conditions. Damages and rehabilitation measures for concrete roads since 2010 have been identified to address existing issues and ensure road durability. Documenting the damages recorded since 2010, along with outlining the rehabilitation measures aimed at stopping further deterioration. Furthermore, the study examines a brief analysis of the underlying reasons behind these damages. The thesis also includes interviews with concrete road specialists from the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket), covering all five concrete roads. The primary objective of these interviews was to obtain a comprehensive understanding of various aspects related to the development of these roads over the last decade. Additionally, the interviews aimed to fill in any missing data gaps and facilitate the interpretation of the available data. This study shows that Falkenberg part 1: Heberg-Långås and Arlanda are considered as the best performers. In contrast, Eskilstuna and Uppsala are identified as the poorest-performing concrete roads. Notably, Falkenberg part 2: Fastarp-Heberg is reported to come second in terms of performance between the concrete roads, maintaining a good level of performance despite some damages. This assessment is based on the criteria as mentioned earlier which are strength, wear and tear, evenness, friction, and rehabilitation measures.  The results of this study offer valuable insights into the development and maintenance strategies of concrete roads in Sweden. The study includes an analysis of climate conditions and traffic levels for each road, as well as information about their construction. Moreover, it provides essential data regarding the maintenance and rehabilitation measures implemented since 2010. Overall, this investigation offers an in-depth summary of the conditions of the five concrete roads in Sweden, providing valuable information on their development, maintenance, and rehabilitation, thereby giving a complete picture of how they have performed and lasted over the last decade. This study can serve as a resource for road authorities and engineers, offering a comprehensive overview of the state of concrete road infrastructure in Sweden.