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![DBR in Oklahoma](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/72aeb3_3bb90fe6413a48fa8fd4a23b75582de4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_221,h_295,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/72aeb3_3bb90fe6413a48fa8fd4a23b75582de4~mv2.jpg)
![Hwy 212_DBR_2009.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/72aeb3_c96ec864eabe46fb83734ebf29439592~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_318,h_239,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/72aeb3_c96ec864eabe46fb83734ebf29439592~mv2.jpg)
If you have faulted joints, you need to perform:
Dowel Bar Retrofit
Dowel bar retrofit (DBR) is a concrete pavement preservation (CPP) tool that restores load transfer across transverse joints and cracks by installing dowel bars to link adjoining slabs. Mechanical load transfer devices such as round steel dowel bars prevent differential vertical movement of the slabs at the joints and cracks, thereby eliminating the formation of faults or stepoffs. Used in conjunction with other CPP practices, such as diamond grinding, DBR can return a concrete roadway to a structurally sound, smooth condition that can exceed the smoothness and noise values attained at the time of construction.
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To perform DBR, slots are cut using diamond saw blades. The slots are placed on 1-foot centers, centered over the transverse joint or crack and parallel to the centerline with three or four slots per wheel path. Dowel bar assemblies are placed into cleaned slots then backfilled, patched and diamond ground to provide a safe, smooth and quiet surface.
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Where to consider DBR:
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Pavements that exhibit a reduction in load transfer.
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Joint and crack faulting between 1/8 to 3/4 inch.
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Transverse cracks that are reasonably tight with minimal spalling.
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Pavements that were constructed as non-doweled jointed pavements, which can have DBR applied to prevent future faulting.
Resources
CPR: Rebuilt to Last: Concrete Patching and Maintenance for I-84 in Box Elder County, UT
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) carefully considered a variety of options to repair the 20-year-old concrete pavement on I-84 in Box Elder, UT. The methods selected included dowel bar retrofit (DBR), diamond grinding, full depth repair, partial depth repair, slab jacking and joint resealing. This newly rehabilitated highway will provide a safe, smooth and durable surface for many years to come.
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Resource Sections:
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Case Study
Highway
Concrete Pavement Preservation and Restoration, Diamond Grinding, Dowel Bar Retrofit, Full & Partial Depth Repair, Joint and Crack Resealing, Slab Stabilization
Smoothness, Structural/Material Issues