The report discusses the evolutionary developments in mechanistic dowel behaviour theory proposed by Bradbury, Grinter, Friberg, Lessels, Timoshenko, and Westergaard. New findings relating to dowel bar behaviour obtained from finite-element modelling are discussed. A sampling of pavement performance model which use empirical or empirical-mechanistic statistical regressions to estimate load transfer performance (expressed as transverse joint faulting) in terms of material, environmental and traffic variables not considered by theoretical analysis is presented. The findings from a limited number of field performance and laboratory studies are summarised.