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Abstract
By definition, a removable urban pavement (RUP) can be quickly opened and closed, using lightweight equipment, for easy access to underground networks. The premises of the concept can be found in certain military paths or industrial soils. According to a survey conducted among French municipal authorities, the RUP concept could decrease the public nuisance caused by pavement and road network maintenance work. Two French cities agreed to play host to an RUP experiment. Functional specifications were provided for streets to be built in new residential areas. Then original pavement designs were proposed based on a configuration of precast, hexagonal concrete slabs over an excavatable hydraulic base course. After successful trials using accelerated loading facilities, two RUPs were built and subjected to real traffic. Should the satisfactory behaviour observed so far last into the future, RUPs would appear to be a highly sustainable response to the needs of modern cities.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the cities of Saint Aubin-lès-Elbeuf and Nantes, as well as all project partners for their strong commitment to this project. Special thanks are also addressed to the French Ministry of Public Works (now MEDDTL), the Seine-Maritime Departmental Council and CIMBETON for their financial support.