A pavement is any ground surface that you can walk on that can support a significant amount of weight. Pavements are primarily built by asphalt contractors to distribute the load from the top surface to the natural soil and are used by automobiles and pedestrians.
The building of roads and pavement has changed over time, with modern pavement being classified into two categories: flexible pavement and stiff pavement. These two categories are distinct from one another.
Flexible Pavements
Flexible pavements are made of bitumen or asphalt and have four layers. They must be maintained properly or they may collapse under high traffic. It has low flexural strength and is structurally flexible under vehicle weight. In this sort of pavement, load pressure is carried from particle to particle until it reaches the lowest layers. Except for concrete roads, all types of roads are flexible. Subgrade, subbase, base course, and surface course are the four layers of flexible pavement. The different types of flexible pavement that exist are full-depth asphalt pavement, contained rock asphalt mat, and conventional layered flexible pavement.
Rigid Pavements
Rigid pavements possess flexural strength and rigidity. Because the pavement functions as an elastic plate, the load is dispersed through slab action. Cement concrete is used to construct rigid pavements. The materials for the pavement are laid directly on the subgrade or on a layer of the stabilized surface. It is mostly used to build airports and highways, like those in the dual carriage routes or interstate highway networks. Additionally, rigid pavements have three sublayers (subgrade, base course, and surface course) and are designed to offer a safe driving surface for high-speed cars in all weather conditions. Also, they typically serve as heavy-duty industrial floor slabs and port pavements
Difference Between Flexible and Rigid Pavements
The major distinction between flexible and rigid pavements is the way in which loads are dispersed to the subgrade. One important element is pavement design, with flexible pavements relying on subgrade strength and rigid pavements on concrete flexural strength. Furthermore, temperature changes are sensitive in rigid pavements, causing significant strains, but not in flexible pavements. In rigid pavements, deformations cause permanent settlements. However, flexible pavements have self-healing capabilities that allow them to recover from larger wheel loads.
Do you need pavement installation? Consult with our asphalt contractors today to decide on the best pavement for your home!
