In the road construction industry, you will come across two categories of pavement known as flexible and rigid pavement. In everyday life, you will know these roads merely as asphalt and concrete roads. What are they, and what are their differences? Find the answers right here with Tri-State Paving.

What Is Flexible Pavement?

Flexible pavement has anasphalt top layer. It is made up of multiple layers that distribute the weight of traffic loads, thus diffusing the direct impact. Ironically, flexible pavement is not very flexible. It is very thick, made up ofmultiple layers, and will not bend easily. In fact, its bend strength is not great. Flexible pavement works, as mentioned, by diffusing the force of loads throughout the pavement layers.

What Is Rigid Pavement?

Rigid pavement has a concrete surface. It is not as thick as flexible pavement, but it is very strong. It also has more flexibility, absorbing the forces of loads through its bend strength. This kind of pavement can bend enough to bear the load without losing its original shape. This phenomenon is known as slab action.

Comparing and Contrasting Lifespans, Costs, and More

Flexible pavement is built to last 15 years, while rigid pavement lasts up to 30 years. Flexible pavement, despite its thickness, cannot bear loads as heavy as rigid pavement can. Rigid pavement has a higher upfront cost and less maintenance costs, while flexible pavement has a lower upfront cost but moremaintenance needs.

A bullet point list of each kind can help summarize their differences.

Flexible pavement:

• Lasts 15 years
• Costs less upfront
• Higher maintenance costs
• Is decently load-bearing

Rigid pavement:

• Lasts 30 years
• Costs more upfront
• Lower maintenance costs
• Bears heavier loads

Let Tri-State Paving Built the Right Pavement for You

Tri-State Paving is happy to partner with you in your road construction projects in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, whether you are certain of what kind of road it needs to be or if you need our expertise for the best solution.

Receive Asphalt Paving Services with Tri-State Paving

Call Tri-State Paving. We’re a seasoned asphalt pavement company based in Maryland and have the experience and knowledge to help you turn your backyard into the perfect retreat quickly and affordably. Our experts will work with you to find a design and layout for the outdoor kitchen and dining area that you’re sure to love for years and years to come.

Our area numbers are:

West Chester: 610.563.9456

Oxford: 610.932.3566

Delaware: 302.757.4100

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Tags: flexible pavement, rigid pavement, road construction

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 26th, 2024 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.