Evaluation of the Load Dissipation Behavior of Concrete Block Pavements with Various Block Shapes and Construction Patterns

Abstract

In concrete block pavement, individual blocks are laid in a predetermined pattern to create a surface interlocked with joint filler that has some discontinuities rather than continuous paving. The overall structural stability is guaranteed by minimizing the rotation and displacement of the blocks. In this paper, dynamic dropped loading tests were conducted to evaluate the load dispersion capacity of concrete block pavement with various block shapes and different laying patterns. The results showed that the vertical deflection increased logarithmically with increasing load pressure. No significant shape-dependent differences in load dispersion were observed, except for the stack pattern. The herringbone pattern showed the best performance of the three different laying patterns that were studied. In all laying patterns, the ratio of stress transferred from the applied pressure on the surface to the base tended to decrease exponentially as the applied pressure increased, consisting of three phases. Whereas the herringbone pattern had the highest load dispersion capacity in Phase 1 (σ<.2 MPa), the difference between the patterns decreased as the applied pressure increased in Phase 2 (.2 MPa≤σ≤.6 MPa), and in Phase 3 (σ>.6 MPa) the ratio became constant even though the applied pressure increased. The block shape did not exert a significant influence on the load distribution capacity.