If the concrete curbs are to be constructed over the existing pavement, _______________ are used to fix them to pavement.

• A. Rebar
• B. Nails
• C. Steel dowels
• D. Steel plates

Answer: (C)

When pouring a curb over existing pavement, you need a method that locks the two concrete pieces together and transfers horizontal loads without allowing them to slide apart. Steel dowels serve this purpose by acting as a cross-joint pin: they run from the curb into the pavement, providing shear transfer and maintaining alignment between the two surfaces as traffic loads act on them. Epoxy-coated or suitably protected dowels are commonly used to resist corrosion and ensure durable connection.

Rebar stays inside a single reinforced concrete member and doesn’t reliably tie two separate concrete elements across a joint. Nails don’t provide the necessary shear transfer or long-term hold, and steel plates add complexity and trip hazards without being the standard method for this joint.