Study concerning the conception and construction of Long-Lasting Flexible Pavements

Abstract

The paper presents the current state of Long Lasting Flexible road pavement design, which is characterized by permanent development, both in terms of the calculation scheme that can reproduce as accurately as possible the actual operating behaviour and also in terms of more efficient materials usage. The research has shown that these types of flexible, well-designed and executed road pavements could have a longer lifetime than classical ones. In the same context, the energy performances and the Global Warming Potential, related to the construction and maintenance of Long-Lasting Flexible Pavements, calculated using a Life Cycle Assessment approach, are given, in order to substantiate their ecological advantages compared with a classical road pavement. This paper emphasizes the necessity to adopt appropriate constructions alternatives for road pavements, also within the initial construction phase, as well as within their maintenance and intervention stages, in order to have a sustainable build environment. In conclusion, roadwork and recent research have shown that Sustainable road pavements, known also as Long Lasting Pavements could be designed and built, resulting in significant material savings and, therefore, low maintenance costs with high performance and significantly longer service life compared to classical road pavements.