• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.103-115
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• 2011

Concrete slab curls and warps due to the uneven distribution of temperature and moisture and as the result, internal stress develops within the slab. Therefore, environmental loads must be considered in addition to the traffic loads to predict the lifespan of the concrete pavement more accurately. The strength of the concrete slab is gradually decreases to a certain level at which fatigue cracking is generated by the repetitive traffic and environmental loadings. In this study, a new fatigue regression model was developed based on the results from previously performed studies. To verify the model, another laboratory flexural fatigue test program which was not used in the model development, was conducted and compared with the predictions of other existing models. Each fatigue model was applied to analysis logic of cumulative fatigue damage of concrete pavement developed in the study. The sensitivity of cumulative fatigue damage calculated by each model was analyzed for the design factors such as slab thickness, joint spacing, complex modulus of subgrade reaction and the load transfer at joints. As the result, the model developed in this study could reflect environmental loading more reasonably by improving other existing models which consider R, minimum/maximum stress ratio.