This research presents the evaluation and comparison of two Portland-cement concrete (PCC) pavement test sections with cement-treated permeable bases (CTPB) and dense-graded aggregate bases (DGAB) on the I-90 Thruway in New York. Two instrumented test sections were constructed to assess rigid pavement performance with CTPB compared to DGAB. The first test section had a DGAB layer only, while the second section had a CTPB layer above the DGAB layer. Continual environmental data were collected and dynamic testing was conducted to evaluate the load response of each test section.
The results from the environmental monitoring show that the CTPB section had higher strains and began to experience higher edge deflections after a year of service. The moisture probes indicated the CTPB did not affect subgrade moisture content. Dynamic truck load tests indicated the CTPB section had higher mid-slab strains and greater transverse joint deflections. The higher strains and deflections in the environmental and dynamic tests were attributed to the rigid CTPB layer, which caused a loss of support at the slab edges. This study found there were no benefits from the CTPB, and that the rigid base layer had a negative impact on early-age pavement performance.