Experimental identification and mechanical interpretation of the interaction behaviour between concrete paving blocks

Abstract

In recent years, concrete block (CB) pavements have become a favourite alternative to asphalt pavements, mainly in intra-urban regions due to their architectural design possibilities. Unfortunately, this trend is restrained by a lack of adequate design methods to assess the load capacity and durability of such pavements. Especially, the mechanical performance of the vertical joints between CBs is often not depicted realistically enough. For this reason, in this work three new experiments are proposed to determine the mechanical behaviour of the joints between the CBs, and thus the load transmission capability of different joint formations. Mechanical models and the corresponding material parameters to describe the joint behaviour are identified from the experimental results. Finally, performance optimisation of block pavements with respect to their jointing behaviour should become possible.

Keywords:

• block pavements
• concrete blocks
• joint behaviour
• shearing tests
• Mohr–Coloumb friction

Acknowledgements

The authors thank TVFA Vienna for the good cooperation, helpful comments and the conduction of the experiments.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support by the FFG Austrian Research Promotion Association is gratefully acknowledged.