The Behavior of Concrete Block Pavements

In 1981 to 1985 and 1993/94 static and dynamic tests on block pavements were carried out on a 1:1 scale at the professorship of Road Construction at the Technical University of Dresden. The pavements were loaded with a plate bearing test equipment (approx. 0.7 N/mm 2) with a static stress and a pulsating stress (approx. 0.7 N/mm 2, 1 mill, load cycles) also via a load plate, made of steel and with a diameter of 30 cm. The elastic and plastic deformation at the surface of the pavement were measured. The pavement types varied according to the block shape, the jointing and bedding material and the base The following significant conclusions derived from all the results: The base has a considererable influence on the plastic deformation behaviour of the block pavements. The block shape can reduce the value of the permanent deformations. The joint filling and bedding material and the pattern have a remarkably lower influence on the deformation behaviour. No direct correlation has been found out between plastic and elastic deformation.