RIGID PAVEMENTS - CONSTRUCTION. ELEMENTS FOR PLANNING A RIGID PAVEMENT PROJECT

BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF RIGID PAVEMENTS BUILT IN FRANCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THIS FORM OF CONSTRUCTION IS NOT APPRECIATED AS IT SHOULD. THIS, ADDED TO THE FACT THAT TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE JUST BEEN INTRODUCED, MEANS THAT CONTRACTORS ARE NOT ALWAYS ABLE TO MAKE BEST USE OF IT AT THE HIGHWAY DESIGN STAGE. THIS ARTICLE OUTLINES THE MAIN TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF RIGID PAVEMENTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FOR HIGHWAY DESIGN. THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIALS, CHARACTERISTICS OF STANDARD STRUCTURES AND CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AVAILABLE SHOWS THE SPECIFIC USES OF THE TECHNIQUE. UNDER CONDITIONS ENCOUNTERED IN FRANCE RIGID PAVEMENTS ARE THE MOST SUITABLE FOR HEAVILY-TRAFFICKED PAVEMENTS AND THE MOST COMPETITIVE FOR LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEVICE FOR SPREADING PRECOATED CHIPPINGS ON FRESH CONCRETE SURFACINGS SHOULD IMPROVE THIS COMPETITIVENESS BY ALLOWING THE USE OF AGGREGATES MORE LIABLE TO POLISHING. IN ORDER THAT CONCRETE PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION CONTINUE TO BE USED, IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF ITS LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION, IT SHOULD BE ENVISAGED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SOLUTION AT THE PLANNING STAGE.