The sawcut depth of transverse contraction joints in concrete roads affect the crack induction in early age concrete and the states of stress caused by temperature during operation. The reduction of the sawcut depth from 25 % according to design regulations to 10 % of the concrete pavement thickness does not affect the first cracking negatively if material parameters scatter little and the concrete road is constructed with great dimensional accuracy. During operation the reduced sawcut depth causes a diminished heat damage probability by a factor 50 with the temperature load of a hot summer day.
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