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INSTALLATION OF IN-PAVEMENT LIGHTS IN CONCRETE PAVEMENT

& IMPACT ON LIGHT PHOTOMETRICS

Ornulv (Arnie) Sonsteby, PE&

Doron Lean

Penn State / FAA Airport Conference 2007

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IPRF-03-1 Project

Estimated Completion: 2007PI & Contact: Ornulv (Arnie) Sonsteby, P.E.email: osonsteby@burns-group.com

Best Practices Guide forIn-Pavement Lighting, PCC Pavement

Sponsored by: FAA, in Cooperative Agreement with

Innovative Pavement Research Foundation (IPRF)

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GUIDE CONTENT

Coordination between disciplines

Installation in new vs. existing PCC

Products, methods, tolerances

Boxouts / blockouts

Deficiencies and corrective alternatives

Strength and load transfer

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Preparing Light Base & Jig

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Light Base Installation

(a) “Anchor” function (preparation for paving)

(b) “Strengthening” function (completed installation)

Finish Grade

Bearing Strength

VerticalStrength

Tie toPCC Slab Shear

Strength

Finish Grade

Light Base

Rebar Cage

BaseLayer

(b)(a)

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INSTALLATION ISSUES

Coordination between disciplines

Selecting:

Methods & procedures

lighting products Pavement materials

Tolerances & verification

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CCOORDINATION IN DESIGN

Light location vs. pavement joints

Materials and method

QC/QA

Tolerances and Consequences

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PCC JOINT CONFLICTS

Touch Down Zone Lights

Lead-off / Lead-on TW CTL Lights

TW CTL Lights at curves / intersections

In-pavement RGL / Stop Bar Lights

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MATERIALS & METHODS

Light Base, Conduit, Pavement materials

Installation procedures and “structure” -- in new or existing pavement

Surface finish (“cookie cutter” vs. Core)

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QC / QA

The quality of installation depends on:

Good design by engineer

Good craftsmanship by installer

Close coordination between disciplines

Inspection / verification of compliance

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Tolerances and Consequences

Pavement vs. Base tolerances

Light Base: Location, Height, Azimuth, Level

When to modify, when to replace

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Location:Per AC. Depends on type and function of light.

Height: Fixture edge even with pavement, (low side): +0”, -1/16.

Azimuth: Within ± ½ degree.

Level: With horizon. No tolerance specified.

Light Tolerances

** Paving elevation tolerance -- + ½”

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Level Tolerance?

Pavement has longitudinal grade & cross slope (up to 1.5% major R/Ws)

No tolerance in AC. Engineer may establish tolerance (varies)

Tolerance applied in wrong direction worsens condition

Consider

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PavementCross Slope Point of measure

for HEIGHT tolerance

Light Base

Tilt from level

Pavement Grade(longitudinal) Measured Height

(low cross slope)

Light Base

Tilt from level

Level !!

TRANSVERSE SLOPE

LONGITUDINAL GRADEDeg Grade for 12”

for 6”

Ht Ht

1/2 0.9% 0.1” 0.05” 1 1.75% 0.2” 0.1”

O

O

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COORDINATION IN CONSTRUCTION

Survey

Materials and method

QC/QA

Tolerances and Consequences

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Coordinate survey

activities

Survey to: Locate light Install light base Verify before paving

Survey

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Selecting Materials & Methods

■ Submittals review for compliance

■ Establish installation sequence and

responsibilities

■ Inspection --- more inspection

■ Protect lights while completing paving

18Setting base “in space”

Conduit in pavement base layer

Light base

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Setting bases in“fill-in” lane

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RW Edge Light, Toe-InInstallation in existing PCC Pavement

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QC / QA

■ Verify light location

■ Verify height, azimuth & level while securing light base

■ Check tolerances prior to paving

■ Inspect surface finish

■ Protect light while paving, grooving, sweeping, and marking

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AC 150/5340-30R/W CTL: “The line of lights is offset a

maximum of 2’ from the runway centerline to the edge of fixture.”

T/W CTL: “Fixtures should be installed so that their nearest edge is approximately 2’ from any rigid pavement joint.”

Modeling: (by Tigerbrain)

2’ from Joint Issue

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0

5

10

15

20

0 5 10 15 20

σ - bottom of 18” thick20’x20’

slab B-777

(254K edge loading).

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0

5

10

15

20

0 5 10 15 20

σ - top of 18” thick20’x20’

slab B-727 (corner

loading).

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Joint Issue Comments

■ Pavement Design is conservative (edge stress, no load transfer).

■ Modeling (with no load transfer between slabs, no bonding to underlying layer):

■ Dowels generally reduced max edge stress by ~ 20%.

■ With 2 dowels omitted, max edge stress reduced by ~ 12%.

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(Joint Issue Comments continued)

■ Hence: Inside 2’, with 1 or 2 dowels omitted has minimal impact on slab-slab load transfer.

■ Load transfer between light base and pavement – assessment suggests non-issue.

■ Embedded steel can help control cracking close to joint.

■ Alternative: Boxout

27Light near PCC joint

PCC Joints

Light base

18” 7”

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Cracks

Conduit Kerf

PCC Joint

In-Pavement Light

Details, details !!

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Boxout at PCC joint

T/W CTL Light

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Normal joints

Doweled jointfor Boxout

Crack

Boxout at PCC joints !

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Threshold Light Bar“boxout”

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A few Related

concerns

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KERFS

S pall

Standard sawed jointcarried through kerf

PCC Pavement

Existing crack closes withwarm ing temperature

Pressure on fill materia lat crack or jo int

Maintain existing pavement joints - for full section of kerf !

PCC Joint

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Longitudinal crackcenter T/W slab

T/W CenterlineLight

Conduit below !!

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Faultysealing

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Fate of out-of-tolerance

light bases!

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Doron