Application of pullout test fracture strength and theory toward a quality management system for controlling concrete pavement cracks

For fracture mechanics theory to be applied toward the design and construction of concrete pavements and structures, in-place testing technology is needed to provide fracture mechanics properties. Two instrumented pullout testing apparatuses were designed and experimentally investigated for measuring early age in-place fracture mechanics characteristics. A large apex angle pullout testing apparatus is shown to provide fracturing properties that relate to the stress intensity factor obtained using the size effect law. Experimental results are shown to closely agree with a numerical model that was developed using the finite element method. The results support the use of pullout testing in a quality management system to provide in-place concrete fracturing properties for estimating control joint depths that effectively control cracking.