Assessment of bonding, durability, and low-temperature performance of cement-based rapid patching materials for pavement repair

A high-performance concrete rapid patching repair material needs to develop high early strength to satisfy traffic opening requirements, yet provides sufficient durability to sustain different environmental conditions and primary deterioration mechanisms for full-depth concrete repair. In this study, a set of experiments was conducted to evaluate the performance of developed pavement repair mixtures subjected to different environmental conditions, including low ambient temperature, highly reactive siliceous aggregate, wet/dry cycling, and moisture loss. Full-scale slab patching was also carried out to assess the rapid patching mixtures' constructability, compatibility, and interface bonding with the concrete substrate. Patching materials with a reduced cement content and Type IP cement exhibited a lower drying shrinkage rate and less deterioration from wet/dry cycles compared with commonly used patching mixtures that typically use high cement content and Type I cement. The tendency of alkali-silica reaction deterioration was reduced significantly by replacing 50% Type III cement with Type IP cement. The rapid patching mixtures generally displayed a high degree of early-age shrinkage but with satisfactory compatibility and good bonding with the concrete substrate. Test results also indicate that Type III cement-based rapid patching mixtures can be a promising option to reduce traffic closure duration at lower ambient temperatures.