1.1 What is CRCP?
In concrete pavement the longitudinal reinforcing steel is continuous throughout the pavement length. It is a joint less concrete pavement sufficiently reinforced to control cracking, without the aid of weakened transverse joints such as are used in ordinary or conventional type of jointed concrete pavement. Reinforced bars in the concrete are lapped to form continuous reinforcement holding the pavement together in all kinds of weather and preventing formation of large cracks that would otherwise reduce the service life of the pavement. CRCP has all the good features of concrete pavements such as durability, high structural strength, nonskid surface and good visibility at night, wet or dry—features which make concrete, and especially continuously reinforced concrete, a permanent road surfacing material.
In CRCP reinforcement steel is an important element and it offers the following functions:
1. Holds crack tight
2. Facilitates load transfer across cracks
3. Provides stiffness by restraining end movement