MANILA, Philippines – To address the early deterioration of roads due to damaging effects of overloading, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) prescribed the use of concrete pavement with minimum thickness of 280 millimeters and with steel dowels in all transverse joints.
The new standard will be applied for national arterial and secondary road projects to be funded in the proposed CY 2015 Infrastructure Program including planned foreign-based projects not yet bid out.
Secretary Rogelio L. Singson explained that the provision of dowels will prevent occurrence of unregulated cracks in transverse joints of concrete pavement due to dimensional changes in the slab and repeated passage of vehicles.
The dowels should be 36 millimeter in diameter painted with red lead and coated with grease or bitumen to prevent corrosion.
In undertaking pavement re-blocking, DPWH has directed contractors to provide dowels and tie bars at transverse joint and longitudinal joint, respectively. Holes are drilled on existing concrete pavement to install the dowels and tie bars and filled with epoxy resin or hardener grout.
With the improvement in quality standard and design of the national road projects, DPWH also considers current annual average daily traffic report and axle loading for trucks and trailers to determine the need for thicker pavement.
Where appropriate, a 300 millimeter concrete pavement thickness is applied similar to EDSA reblocking activities as DPWH works to achieve durable highway with better riding quality.
