Concrete a Material for Urban Development

These last years, the development of the road network in urban areas of France has taken a new direction. The aim is to improve the users safety as well as the traffic conditions. This new trend requires a geometrical development of urban areas, with regard to safety, aesthetics, intcgrotion into the environment, comfort and durability. Cement concrete is part of this evolution. Used for years in the structural part of urban roadways, and buried under other surface materials, concrete now offers other potential applications as surface material, characterized by a varied choice of colours, shapes and textures. At present, these urban concretes are being developed significantly. Since 1 9 8a8p,p roximately three million square metres have been produced.