Westergaard-Type Solution for Edge Load Transfer Problem

Abstract

On the prominent issue of edge load transfer in portland cement concrete pavements, common understanding has been that Westergaard's last contribution was the very cursory treatment contained in his 1948 paper. A recent examination of the archives at the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, however, has brought to light a consulting report that Westergaard submitted to the Corps of Engineers in 1949 containing a detailed examination of the edge load transfer problem, prepared by his associate M. S. Skarlatos. To expedite dissemination of this information, the results of an investigation that sought to extend and refine the edge load transfer solution by Skarlatos using modern computational tools are presented. A comparison of this solution to earlier finite element solutions is also presented. Following the same approach as Skarlatos and Westergaard, closed-form equations are derived for the maximum deflection and maximum bending stress occurring on the unloaded side of an edge capable of load transfer. Together with Westergaard's 1948 free edge equations, the two unloaded side formulas effectively extend Westergaard's solutions to the case of the edge load transfer problem.