Mesabi-Select Concrete Pavement Five Year Performance Report

Status: Complete
Report Date: 05/20/2010

Summary:

Cell 54 was constructed in the fall of 2004 on the MnROAD low-volume loop. It is made up of eight inches of concrete underlain by Class 5 aggregate base and approximately three inches of compacted in-situ fill. Mn/DOT constructed this cell to study the properties of Mesabi-Select as coarse aggregate in concrete. This mineral aggregate that contains less iron than the ore, was obtained from overburdens in the iron ore ledges in northern Minnesota. There is no record of a previous cell constructed to study the suitability of Mesabi-Select in concrete. Cell 54 is in very good condition after five years. There are very few cracks of low severity. The types of distress found were spalling of transverse joints, longitudinal cracking, and transverse cracking. Very little joint faulting has occurred. In-situ concrete surface permeability measurements indicate that the concrete is good quality. Friction and ride quality measurements indicate that Cell 54 is in very good condition. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflections at the surface and top of the base were of similar magnitude as in other doweled jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) test cells of similar design.

Final Deliverables:

Report #2010-19