ACI Completes Revisions to Guide on Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements

NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Greg Halsted has announced the completion of a major revision to the ACI document titled ACI PRC-327-24, Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements – Guide. Extensive edits and rewrites by the ACI 327 RCC committee were necessary to update the document, as the last version was published in 2015. The guide provides owner-agencies, contractors, materials suppliers and others with a thorough introduction to RCC and its many paving applications.

The guide describes RCC and how it works as a paving material; how it compares to conventional concrete pavement; common uses and benefits; and potential limitations compared to other paving materials. Troubleshooting guidelines are provided as well as detailed overviews of RCC properties and materials, mixture proportioning, structural design issues, production and construction considerations, and quality control. Of special note, the revision includes a new chapter on sustainability.

Halsted maintains representation on ACI 327 as its chairman and notes that numerous technological advancements have transformed RCC pavements from their traditional use as heavy load, low-speed applications to today’s highways, streets, roads, parking lots, airports and even small-scale placements. Some of these key evolutions include jointing RCC pavements the same as conventional concrete pavements; utilizing equipment specifically designed for paving RCC rather than asphalt; incorporating surfacing admixtures and troweling to produce an RCC surface comparable to conventional concrete; designing to determine the best pavement thickness for performance and durability; employing several aggregate gradation ranges to produce RCC mixes that deliver specific strengths and surface textures; and incorporating blended cements, supplementary cementitious materials and chemical admixtures to enhance workability and long-term performance. Engineers now understand RCC as a reliable, useful third option to conventional concrete and asphalt pavements almost anywhere, Halsted said.

For additional information on RCC pavements and NRMCA’s Pave Ahead initiative, contact Greg Halsted at ghalsted@nrmca.org.