Stresses at joints and cracks in highway and airport pavements

The weight function method is used to determine the stress intensity factors for cracks and joints in highway and airport pavements. The relationship between the stress intensity factors and the deflection caused by a wheel load are then used to obtain the stresses in the pavement. The new method that combines the theory of elasticity and fracture mechanics is called EFM. The results from EFM for the deflection and bending stress at the midslab position along the longitudinal edge are compared with the theoretical solution of Westergaard, solutions using the finite element method, and with the experimental data from the AASHO road test. The deflection caused by an axle load at the corner of a transverse joint for a rigid pavement determined by EFM is also compared with the test data from the AASHO road test. There is good agreement in all cases.