ABSTRACT
The principal findings of the investigation carried out on the A11 Wymondham bypass highlights the influence of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the coarse aggregate used in the concrete on the development of both shrinkage and longitudinal cracks. The importance of reinforcement design to control this cracking was also demonstrated by comparison with similar sites in the UK. Based on these findings it was concluded that some continuously reinforced concrete pavement design has been insufficient in considering the combined effects of both aggregate and reinforcement in crack development. This has resulted in some unexpectedly severe cracking in pavements that were otherwise well built using good quality concrete.
