EVALUATION, DESIGN AND APPLICATION OF CONCRETE BLOCK PAVEMENTS

The paper begins by summarising the results of more than 100 accelerated trafficking tests of interlocking concrete block pavements. The factors studied included the type, thickness and laying pattern of the blocks, the choice of bedding and jointing sands, the thickness and quality of the subbase and the effects of variations in subgrade strength. The paper next describes the derivation of a new methodology for the design of block pavements. The method is suitable for both roads and heavy duty industrial pavements. As an illustration of the method selected design nomographs are presented The paper summarises the advantages and disadvantages of block paving compared both with other forms of concrete paving and with conventional flexible pavements. A range of successful applications of block pavements is then described including pavements both in North America and around the world.