A Review of International Practices for Design of Rigid Pavements for International Container Terminals

Whilst the practice of pavement thickness design for heavy duty rigid pavements, such as highways, is well established in Europe, the USA and Australia, agreed methodologies for the thickness design of extremely heavy-duty pavements such as those in intermodal container terminals/ports (ICT) is not commonplace. ICT facilities present a number of unique challenges to the designer, not the least of which include unclear operational metrics from the owners, a shortfall in owners’ understanding of life cycle impacts, and aggressive expectations around performance. Such pavements are often expected to withstand axle loads of up to 120 tonnes. There is a shortage of design tools available to the designer with which optimum and safe thickness for such Pavements may be determined, with most design methods driven or influenced by industry interests such as asphalt and interlocking pavers. This paper discusses key risks when undertaking the design of rigid pavements for ICT facilities, the design methodologies and software available internationally. It concludes that standardisation of design methodologies for ICT pavements is deficient and recommends a way forward for owners, constructors and designers to collaborate in the development of more reliable ICT facilities