5−14 depth of the concrete pavement of all foreign material by compressed air. If accessible, the sides of the joints shall be wire-brushed and cleaned of all debris. The sides of the joints shall be surface dry. Poured joint sealing material shall not be placed unless approved by the Engineer. All material and debris removed from the joint or crack shall be immediately removed from the pavement surface by means of sweepers or hand brooms before sealing. No joint sealing shall be allowed until the joints are thoroughly dried or where either frost, snow or ice is present. 502.03.3 Application. The joint seal shall be applied by hot extrusion. All joints or cracks are to be filled to refusal so as to eliminate all voids or entrapped air. The hot seal shall completely fill the joint or crack, such that, after cooling, the level of the sealer will be flush with the pavement surface. Any depression in the seal shall be brought up to the specified limit by the further addition of hot seal. Care shall be taken in the sealing of the joints or cracks such that the final appearance will present a neat fine line. Overfilling of the joints will not be allowed, and spillage of the sealer should be avoided. All workmanship shall be of the highest quality, and all excess or spilled sealer must be removed from the pavement by approved methods and discarded.
502.04 METHOD OF MEASUREMENT. "Full Depth Cleaning and Sealing of Joints and Cracks
Two and One-Half Inches Nominal Width or Less in Portland Cement Concrete Pavement" will be measured by the number of linear feet of sealed jo ints or cracks actually repaired in accordance with the Plans and/or as directed by the Engineer. 502.05 BASIS OF PAYMENT. The accepted quantity of "Full Depth Cleaning and Sealing of Joints and Cracks Two and One-Half Inches Nominal Width or Less in Portland Cement Concrete Pavement" will be paid for at the contract unit price per linear foot as listed in the Proposal. The price so-stated constitutes full and complete compensation for all labor, materials, equipment, and all incidentals required to finish the work, complete and accepted by the Engineer. SECTION 503 REPAIRING DETERIORATED/DAMAGED JOINTS GREATER THAN TWO AND ONE-HALF (2½) INCHES and LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO EIGHT (8) INCHES NOMINAL WIDTH IN FINISHED PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE PAVEMENT
503.01 DESCRIPTION . This work consists of performing all operations requir ed for cleaning, saw
cutting, concrete removal, rebuilding, and sealing joints in existing Portland cement concrete pavement that are greater than 2½-inches and less than, or equal to 8 inches nominal width at the locations indicated on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer, all in accordance with these Specifications. 5−15503.02. MATERIALS.
a.Joint Seal. Poured joint seal material shall be a hot poured asphalt rubber compound conforming to the requirements of AASHTO M173 and approved by the Engineer.
b.Epoxy Resin Bonding Agent. This material shall be an all-purpose, two-part epoxy resin system, conforming to AASHTO M234; Type V and be included on the Department's Approved Materials List.
c.Fast Set Repair Mortar. Fast set repair mortar shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C928 and shall be included on the Department's A pproved Materials List. The material shall be used in strict accordance with the manufactu rer's recommendations. T he Department reserves the right to discontinue the use of any product it deems is not performing to the standards advertised by its manufacturer. Should the Contractor choose an approved repair material not previously used by the Department, the Contractor shall arrange with the material's manufacturer or distributor for the services of a competent field representative at the work site prior to any mixing of components. The field representative shall instruct the work crews in the proper mixing and application procedures. The field representative shall remain at the job site after work commences and continue to instruct until he/she and the Engineer are satisfied that the crew has mastered the technique of installing the system successfully. The cost of any expense incurred for these services shall be borne by the Contractor.
d.Preformed Bituminous Joint Filler. Preformed bituminous joint filler shall conform to the requirements of AASHTO M33. 503.03 CONSTRUCTION METHODS. 503.03.1 Equipment. Equipment shall be subject to the approval of the Engineer and maintained in satisfactory working condition at all times.
a.Air Compressor. Air compressors shall be portable and capable of furnishing not less than 100 cubic feet of air per minute at not less than 90 pounds per square inch pressure at the nozzle. The compressor shall be equipped with traps that will maintain the compressed air free of oil and water.
b.Hand Tools shall consist of brooms, shovels, metal bars with chisel shaped ends, and any other tools which may be used to accomplish this work.
c.Melting Kettle. The unit shall be either oil or gas-fired, and shall be of the double walled, oil bath type with a power driven mechanical agitator and circulation pump. The kettle shall be equipped with a thermostat to maintain the sealing compound within the range of temperatures specified by the manufacturer and with a suitable mounted thermometer to indicate the temperature of the sealing compound in the kettle. The melting temperature of the sealer will be furnished by the manufacturer, and shall not be exceeded by more than 10 OF.
d.Application System. The joint seal shall be placed by hot extrusion with a wand type instrument. The system shall include a flow control valve which allows all cracks to be filed to refusal. 5−16
503.03.2 Removal of Existing Concrete.
a.Saw Cutting. A 3/4-inch deep saw cut parallel to the joint shall be made on both sides of the joint a distance of 3 inches back from the edge of the deteriorated concrete. Care shall be taken to prevent damage to the freshly saw cut edge and the slab reinforcing during the concrete removal operations.
b.Removal. The concrete shall be removed to the full depth of the existing pavement and to a minimum width of 3 inches by a method approved by the Engineer. "Jack Hammers" heavier than the nominal 30-pound class shall not be used. "Chipping Hammers" heavier than the nominal 15-pound class shall not be used to remove concrete from beneath any reinforcing bar. Hand tools such as hammers and chisels shall be provided for removal of final particles of unsound concrete or to achieve the required depth. In no case shall pneumatic tools be placed in direct contact with reinforcing steel. Any "Load Transfer Device" encountered shall be retained, cleaned and left in place if it is still a competent part of the concrete slab. If the load transfer device has failed as determined by the Engineer, it will be removed and disposed. 503.03.3 Preparatory Work. The exposed concrete and reinforcing steel surface shall be free of rust, oil, solvent, grease, dirt, dust, bitumen, loose particles and other foreign matter just prior to the application of the epoxy bonding agent. Care shall be taken not to disturb the gravel subbase or undermine the existing concrete slabs. Any disturbance of the gravel subbase or undermining of the existing concrete slab shall be corrected by the Contractor, at his expense, to the satisfaction of the Engineer. 503.03.4 Joint Filler Placement. Prior to placement of the fast set repair mortar, one, 1-inch or two, 1/2-inch thick lengths of a preformed bituminous joint filler shall be installed in a straight line, perpendicular to the reinforcing steel for the full width of the existing concrete slab(s). The preformed bituminous joint filler shall extend in a plumb vertical direction from the gravel subbase to the surface of the existing concrete slab. 503.03.5 Application of the Epoxy Bonding Agent. An epoxy bonding agent shall be applied to the prepared concrete surface to be repaired with a stiff-bristle broom to a thickness of approximately 20 mils or in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Reinforcing steel shall not be coated with epoxy. The Contractor shall follow the manufacturer's recommendations for curing the epoxy bonding agent prior to placing the concrete repair material. The repair material should not be placed if the bonding agent has passed the manufacturer's recommended contact time. If the bonding agent has exceeded its contact time, the Contractor shall follow the manufacturer's recommendations for re-application. An epoxy bonding agent with an extended contact time should be used if required by the timing of concrete placement and/or weather conditions. 503.03.6 Application of Fast Setting Mortar.
a.Application, Mixing and Batching. Application, priming, curing, clean-up and protection of freshly patched areas shall be perfo rmed in accordance with applicable manufacturer's recommendations. 5−17 Mix no more material than can be placed within the specified working time recommended by the manufacturer. More than one mixing container or device may be utilized provided that enough patching area is prepared ahead and the work crews can place the materials efficiently without wasting the products. Unless otherwise recommended by the manufac turer, coarse aggregate to be added to the system to produce concrete mix shall be clean, well graded and surface-dry. It shall conform to AASHTO M43 Size 8. Use of crushed limestone will not be permitted.
b.Weather Limitations for Application of the Epoxy Bonding Agent and Fast Setting Mortar. Concrete repair mortar shall not be applied when the ambient temperature is below 45 OF and/or in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations. 503.03.7 Sealing Joints. Upon placement and proper curing of the fast set concrete repair mortar, the top 1 inch of preformed bituminous joint filler shall be removed and replaced with a joint sealer. Each joint shall be thoroughly cleaned and dried prior to placement of the sealing compound. Any cleaning required shall be performed by blowing out all dirt, dust or deleterious matter. The hot extruded joint sealing material shall not be placed unless approved by the Engineer. All material and debris removed from the joint shall be immediately removed from the pavement surface by means of vacuum sweepers or hand brooms before sealing. The joint seal shall be applied by hot extrusion. All cracks are to be filled to refusal so as to eliminate all voids or entrapped air. The hot seal shall completely fill the joint, such that, after cooling, the level of the sealer will be flush with the pavement surface. Any depression in the seal shall be brought up to the specified limit by the further addition of hot seal. Care shall be taken in the sealing of the joints such that the final appearance will present a neat fine line. Overfilling of the joints will not be allowed, and spillage of the sealer should be avoided. All workmanship shall be of the highest quality, and all excess or spilled sealer must be removed from the pavement by approved methods and discarded. No joint sealing shall be allowed until the joints are thoroughly dried or where either frost, snow or ice is present. Storage of materials shall be in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations.
503.04 METHOD OF MEASUREMENT. "Repairing Deteriorated/Damaged Joints Greater Than
Two and One-Half Inches and Less Than or Equal to Eight Inches Nominal Width in Finished Portland Cement Concrete Pavement" will be measur ed by the number of cubic feet of fast set concrete repair mortar actually pl aced in the respective repaired joints in accordance with the Plans and/or as directed by the Engineer. 503.05 BASIS OF PAYMENT. The accepted quantity of "Repairi ng Deteriorated/Damaged Joints Greater Than Two and One-Half Inches and Less Than or Equal to Eight Inches Nominal Width in Finished Portland Cement Concrete Pavement" will be paid for at the contract unit price per cubic foot as listed in the Proposal. The price so-stated constitutes full and complete compensation for all labor, materials and equipment, and all incidentals required to finish the work, complete and accepted by the Engineer. 5−18 SECTION 504 PAVEMENT GROOVING
504.01 DESCRIPTION . This work consists of installing grooves in existing concrete pavement at
the locations indicated on the Plans or as directed by the Engineer, all in accordance with these Specifications. 504.02 MATERIALS. Not applicable.
504.03 Construction Methods.
a.Sealing Joints. Prior to grooving, all joints in the concrete pavement are to be cleaned and sealed. Sealing of joints shall conform to the applicable requirements of either SECTION 502 or SECTION 503 of these Specifications.
b.Grooving. The Contractor shall determine the equipment to be used and the methods to be employed to install grooves in the existing pavement. Whatever method is used, the final product must conform to the requirements of the typical groove detail shown in the Plans within the following tolerances.
1.Groove width: 0.125" ± 0.005" 2. Groove depth: 0.125" ± 0.05" 3. Groove spacing: 1.5" ± 0.125" The entire width of concrete pavement is to be grooved within the limits shown on the Plans. Pavement grooving is to be accomplished while traffic flow is being maintained. After grooving, the entire pavement, including the grooves, is to be thoroughly cleaned of any remaining fine material. 504.04 METHOD OF MEASUREMENT. "Pavement Grooving" will be measured by the number of square yards of pavement actually grooved in acco rdance with the Plans and/or as directed by the Engineer. 504.05 BASIS OF PAYMENT. The accepted quantity of "Pavement Grooving" will be paid for at the contract unit price per square yard as listed in the Proposal. The price so-stated constitutes full and complete compensation for all labor, materials and equipment, and all incidentals required to finish the work complete and accepted by the Engineer.
a.Sealing Joints. Cleaning and sealing joints will be paid for in accordance with the applicable requirements of either Subsection 502.05 or Subsection 503.05 of these Specifications. 5−19SECTION 505 PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE BASE COURSE W/CRACK CONTROL 8-INCH EXTRA STRENGTH
505.01 DESCRIPTION . This work consists of constructing a Class X(AE) Portland cement
concrete base course, 8 inches thick, for the purpose of providing high early strength in the pavement. 505.02 MATERIALS . Materials shall conform to the applicable requirements of Subsection 501.02 of these Specifications with the following additional provisions:
a.Reinforcing . 4" x 4" welded wire fabric reinforcing shall conform to the requirements of Subsection M.05.02.1 of these Specifications.
b.Dowels . Dowels shall be #5 epoxy coated bars, 24 inches long.
505.03 CONSTRUCTION METHODS . Methods of construction shall conform to the applicable
requirements of Subsection 501.03 of these Specifications with the following additional provisions:
a.Crack Control . Control of cracks shall consist of the following:
1.A longitudinal construction joint along the roadway centerlines using a full depth 22- gauge metal plate.
2.Sawed transverse contraction joints 2¾-inches deep and 1/4-inch wide, spaced 20 feet on center (max.), and filled with liquid asphalt.
3.Preformed joint filler, 1/4-inch by 8 inches, along all curbing and existing roadway base match points.
4.Sawing of joints shall commence as soon as the concrete has hardened sufficiently to permit sawing without excessive raveling, usually between 4 to 24 hours. All joints shall be sawed before uncontrolled shrinkage cracking takes place.
b.Connection to Existing Base Course . The new concrete base course shall be connected into existing abutting concrete base course with #5 epoxy coated dowels spaced 18 inches on center. The dowels shall be drilled and grouted into the existing base course as indicated on the Plans.
c.Opening to Traffic . The pavement will not be opened to traffic until it conforms to the requirements of Subsection 501.03.16 of these Specifications.
505.04 METHOD OF MEASUREMENT . “Portland Cement Concrete Base Course w/Crack Control
8-Inch Extra Strength” will be measured by the number of square yards of pavement actually provided in accordance with the Plans and/or as directed by the Engineer. 5−20 505.05 BASIS OF PAYMENT . The accepted quantity of “Portland Cement Concrete Base Course w/Crack Control 8-Inch Extra Strength” will be paid for at the contract unit price per square yard as listed in the Proposal. The price so-stated consti tutes full and complete co mpensation for all labor, materials, equipment, reinforcement, joints, dowels, drilling and grouting of dowels, saw cutting, liquid asphalt, and all incidentals required to finish the work, complete and accepted by the Engineer. 6−1 PART 600 CONCRETE SECTION 601 PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE
601.01 DESCRIPTION. This work consists of furnishing, placing, curing, and finishing Portland
cement concrete for bridges, pavements, structures, and incidental construction in accordance with these Specifications, the Special Provisions and Contract Documents. Any modifications of these general requirements will be given in the specific requirement for each item unless otherwise indicated in the Contract Documents. Concrete shall consist of a homogeneous mixture of Portland cement, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, air entrainment, water, admixture s and pozzolan (when used), mixed in proportions herein specified. 601.01.1 Classification. Portland cement concrete shall be proportioned with the required cement content for each class and shall be thoroughly mixed to the consistency herein after specified. Each class of concrete shall be used in that part of the work in which it is called for on the Plans, Proposals, Special Provisions, or where otherwise directed. The classes of concrete required for the particular work, unless otherwise indicated or superseded by Special Provisions, are shown in Table 1. All concrete mixes are subject to the approval of the Engineer. The minimum compressive strength of each class of concrete shall be as listed in Table 2 or as specified on the Plans. Various sizes of approved coarse aggregate for the classes of concrete may be combined during the batching operation in the amount of each fraction of aggregate size required to obtain the specified gradation. When testing aggregates to determine compliance with a specified gradation, fractions will be tested separately and combined mathematically or combined mechanically in predetermined proportions, and tested. 6−2 Table 1 Class of Concrete1 General Classification of Work X Structural & Precast Highway Bounds, Modular Wall Units, Elements Flared Ends, Drilled Shafts, Concrete-Filled Shell Piles. HP Structural & I-Beams, Cellular Slabs, Box Beams, Prestressed/Precast Cast-in-place Bridge Structures, Elements: Box Culverts, Retaining Walls, Backwalls, Beam Seats, Pier Caps, Pier Columns, Diaphragms, Abutment Stems, Pier Stems, Wall Stems, Bridge Decks, Railings, Parapets, End Posts, Bridge Sidewalks, Cast-in-place Piles, Reinforced Overhead Sign Foundations, Miscellaneous Prestressed/Precast Elements. XX Precast Elements: Collars, Catch Basins, Manholes, Drop Inlets, Sumps, Electrical Handholes, Median Barriers, Copings, Pipe. Structural Elements: Reinforced Footings, Approach Slabs. Miscellaneous: Road Pavements, Commercial Driveways, Headwalls, Endwalls, High Capacity Inlets, Road Base, Residential Driveways, Mast Arm Foundations. A Miscellaneous & Tremie Seals, Sidewalks, Fence Post Footings, General Use: Guardrail Anchorage, Unreinforced Footings, Paved Waterways, Concrete-Filled Pipe Piles, Non-specified use. Z Precast Elements: Curbing, Pipe. B General Use: Void Filler, Thrust Blocks, Class A Bedding. Notes: 1. All concrete shall be air entrained.
601.02 Materials.
601.02.1 Portland Cement. Portland cement shall conform to the requirements of SECTION
M.02; PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE, and be listed on the Department's Approved Materials List. For bridge projects, one brand of Portland cem ent shall be furnished and used for all visible portions of a structure, but is not required fo r interior deck slabs, beams or corresponding elements that are semi-exposed. The Contractor shall provide suitable means for storing and protecting the cement against dampness. Cement that becomes partially set or contains lumps of caked cement will be rejected.
Source: Rhode Island Standard Specifications (Bluebook), 2024 Edition. Pages 246–254 of 826.