Flexible & Rigid Pavements

What is a Pavement?

• Highway pavement is a structure consisting of

superimposed layers of selected and processed
materials whose primary function is to distribute
the applied vehicle load to the subgrade.

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 What is a Pavement?
• Pavement is the upper part of roadway,
airport or parking area structure
• It includes all layers resting on the original
ground
• It consists of all structural elements or
layers, including shoulders

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 Functions of the Pavement
• Reduce and distribute the traffic loading so as not to
damage the subgrade
• Provide vehicle access between two points under
all-weather conditions
• Provide safe, smooth and comfortable ride to road
users without undue delays and excessive wear &
tear
• Meet environmental and aesthetics requirement
• Limited noise and air pollution
• Reasonable economy

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 Requirements of Pavement Structure

• Sufficient thickness to spread loading to a pressure

intensity tolerable by subgade
• Sufficiently strong to carry imposed stress due to traffic
load
• Sufficient thickness to prevent the effect of frost
susceptible subgrade
• Pavement material should be impervious to penetration
of surface water which could weaken subgrade and
subsequently pavement
• Pavement material should be non-frost susceptible
• Pavement surface should be skid resistant

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 Flexible Pavement

• “A flexible pavement is a structure that maintains

intimate contact with and distributes load to the sub
grade and depends on aggregate interlock, particle
friction and cohesion for stability”

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Wheel Load Distribution
 Rigid Pavement
• Rigid pavements are those, which contain sufficient
beam strength to be able to bridge over the
localized subgrade failures and areas of in adequate
support.
OR
• Load is transmitted through beam action of slab in
rigid pavements.
OR
• Rigid pavements are those, which reduce the stress
concentration and distribute the reduced stresses
uniformly to the area under the slab.

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 Rigid Pavement
• Rigidity – does not deform under stress
• Concrete – air entrained increases resistance to
frost damage and de-icing salt corrosion
• Reinforcement – may be bars or mesh. Continuous
rigid pavements have heavy reinforcement
• Joints – used in non-continuous pavements to allow
for thermal movement. Includes a ‘filler’ and surface
sealant
• Rigid pavements – laid as single layer by ‘concrete
paver’

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 Rigid Pavements

• Because of its relative rigidity, the

pavement structure distributes loads over
a wide area with only one, or at most two,
structural layers.
• There are other types of surfaces also i.e.;
reinforced, continuously reinforced etc.

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Pavements Comparison
Flexible pavements:
• Multi layer construction
• Energy consumption due to transportation of materials
• Increasing cost of asphalt due to high oil prices
Rigid pavements
• Single layer
• Generally last longer
• May require asphalt topping due to noise / comfort
issues

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 Properties Flexible Rigid
Design Empirical method Designed and analyzed by using the elastic
Principle Based on load distribution theory
characteristics of the
components
Material Granular material Made of Cement Concrete either plan,
reinforced or prestressed concrete
Flexural Low or negligible flexible Associated with rigidity or flexural strength
Strength strength or slab action so the load is distributed over
a wide area of subgrade soil.
Normal Elastic deformation Acts as beam or cantilever
Loading
Excessive Local depression Causes Cracks
Loading
Stress Transmits vertical and Tensile Stress and Temperature Increases
compressive stresses to the
lower layers

Design Constructed in number of Laid in slabs with steel reinforcement.

Practice layers.

Temperature No stress is produced Stress is produced

Force of Less. Deformation in the Friction force is High
Friction sub grade is not transferred
to the upper layers.
Opening to Road can be used for traffic Road cannot be used until 14 days of curing
Traffic within 24 hours
Surfacing Rolling of the surfacing is Rolling of the surfacing in not needed.
needed
 Pavements Comparison

• Flexible pavement differ from rigid pavement in terms of load

distribution. In flexible pavements load distribution is
primarily based on layered system. While, in case of rigid
pavements most of the load carries by slab itself
and slight load goes to the underlying strata.
• Structural capacity of flexible pavement depends on the
characteristics of every single layer. While, the structural
capacity of rigid pavements is only dependent on the
characteristics of concrete slab. This is so, because of low
bearing soil capacity of underlying soil.
 Pavements Comparison

• In flexible pavements, load intensity decreases with

the increase in depth. Because of the spreading of loading in
each single layer. While, in case of rigid pavement maximum
intensity of load carries by concrete slab itself, because of the
weak underlying layer.
• In flexible pavement deflection basin is very deep, because
of its dependency on the underlying layers. While in case of
rigid pavement, deflection basin is shallow, this is because of
independency of rigid pavement on the underlying layers.
 Pavements Comparison
• Flexible pavement has very low modulus of elasticity (less
strength). Modulus of elasticity of rigid pavement is very high,
because of high strength concrete and more load bearing
capacity of the pavement itself. Than compared to flexible
pavements.
• In flexible pavements, underlying layers play very important
role. Therefore, more role are playing only underlying layers.
In case of rigid pavements, slight function of underlying
layers. Maximum role is playing by the top layer (that is slab)
by itself. Therefore, minute part is taking by sub layers.
 Highway and runway pavement
• Not any section of the highway is suitable for the aircraft to
take off or land. It should have higher pavement strength with
no big and tall buildings or trees around.
• Chen Hong, an air force expert, said that there are strict
requirements on a highway runway for the aircraft to take off
from it or land on it. It has different standards of the pavement
from that of the regular highway, especially for the Y-7 and
the Su-27 aircraft, which pose very high-demanding
requirements on the pavement strength.
• The regular highway has risks of collapse especially in the
process of the aircraft's take-off or landing. A helicopter has
less strict requirements in contrast, but it needs a platform the
double size or larger of the rotor wings of the helicopter.
Highway and runway pavement
• In terms of the thickness of groundwork, the concrete or stone
groundwork of the regular highway is about 5 centimeters
while the highway runway for the aircraft needs a higher
strength with the groundwork to be dozens of centimeters in
thickness.
• In terms of the road surface, the highway runway for the
aircraft has a very high-demanding requirement for the
evenness. The road surface should be free of stones or metal
particles lest they will be sucked into the engine and cause
dangers.
 Highway and runway pavement
• In terms of the materials, the top layer is paved with a
specially-improved asphalt concrete capable of water
absorption to filter the detained water caused by rain or snow,
while the regular concrete road surface is easy to detain water.
• In terms of the surrounding environments, it demands a "clear"
condition. There should be no obstacles in the surrounding to
affect the aircraft so that it can insure the take-off or landing of
the aircraft not be blocked by any tall and big buildings or
trees.
 Highway and runway pavement
• When the highway serves as a runway for the aircraft to take
off or land, all dividing blocks in the middle of the road should
be removed, and the seam between the lanes in opposite
directions should join together well. There shouldn't be big
cracks or seams. The road surface under the dividing blocks
should also be very flat and even.
• According to Chen Hong, not any section of the highway can
be used for the aircraft to take off or land. A certain section of
the highway should be preset to serve the military purpose and
it needs special maintenance and protection. When needed,
several sections are put to the temporary use. Generally, a
range of 2,000-plus meters on the highway runway is installed
mostly for emergency use. It's an international practice to have
such highways used as emergency runways. It's a measure to
serve both the military and the civilian purposes.
 Function and Significance of Subgrade Properties

• Basement soil of road

bed.
• Important for
structural and
pavement life.
• Should not deflect
excessively due to
dynamic loading.
• May be in fill or
embankment.
Cut and Fill Sections
 Desirable Properties of Soil as
Subgrade Material
• Stability
• Incompressibility
• Permanency of strength
• Minimum changes in volume and stability
under adverse condition of weather and
ground water
• Good drainage
• Ease of compaction
 Subgrade Performance

• Load bearing capacity:

Affected by degree of compaction, moisture content,
and soil type.
• Moisture content:
Affects subgrade properties like load bearing capacity,
shrinkage and swelling.
Influenced by drainage, groundwater table elevation,
infiltration, or pavement porosity (which can be assisted
by cracks in the pavement).
• Shrinkage and/or swelling:
Shrinkage, swelling and frost heave will tend to deform
and crack any pavement type constructed over them.
 Subgrade Soil Strength
Assessed in terms of CBR of subgrade
soil for most critical moisture conditions.

• Soil type
• Moisture Content
• Dry Density
• Internal Structure of the soil
• Type and Mode of Stress Application.