Cement Concrete Pavers
Interlocking Concrete Block Pavement (ICBP) has been extensively used in a number of countries for quite sometime as a specialized problem-solving technique for providing pavement in areas where conventional types of construction are less durable due to many operational and environmental constraints. ICBP technology has been introduced in India in construction, a decade ago, for specific requirement viz. footpaths, parking areas etc. but now being adopted extensively in different uses where the conventional construction of pavement using hot bituminous mix or cement concrete technology is not feasible or desirable. The paper dwells upon material, construction and laying of concrete block pavement as a new approach in construction of pavement using Interlocking Concrete Paver Blocks.
During the past five decades, the block shape has steadily evolved from non-interlocking to partially interlocking to fully interlocking to multiply interlocking shapes. Consequently, the pavements in which non-interlocking blocks are used are designated as Concrete Block Pavement (CBP) or non-interlocking CBP, and those in which partially, fully or multiply interlocking blocks are used are designated as 'Interlocking Concrete Block Pavement (ICBP).
- Mass production under factory conditions ensures availability of blocks having consistent quality and high dimensional accuracy.
- Good quality of blocks ensures durability of pavements, when constructed to specifications.
- ICBP tolerates higher deflections without structural failure and will not be affected by thermal expansion or contraction.
- ICBP does not require curing, and so can be opened for traffic immediately after construction.
- Construction of ICBP is labor intensive and requires less sophisticated equipment.
- The system provides ready access to underground utilities without damage to pavement.
- Use of coloured blocks facilitates permanent traffic markings.
- ICBP is resistant to punching loads and horizontal shear forces caused by maneuvering of heavy vehicles Low maintenance cost and a high salvage value ensures low life cycle cost.
Advantages
Shapes and Classifications
There are four generic shapes of paver blocks corresponding to the four types of blocks as below:
Type A: Paver blocks with plain vertical faces, which do not key into each other when paved in any pattern
Type B: Paver blocks with alternating plain and curved/corrugated vertical faces, which key into each other along the curve/corrugated faces.
Type C: Paver blocks having all faces curved or corrugated, which key into each other along all the vertical faces when paved in any pattern and
Type D: 'L' and 'X' shaped paver blocks which have all faces curved or corrugated and which key into each other along all the vertical faces when paved in any pattern.
