Abstract Manager

For many decades, municipalities have been using Interlocking Concrete Pavements (ICP) in sidewalks, plazas, and streets/streetscapes. Unlike conventional Asphalt Concrete (AC) and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavements, little data has been systematically collected on ICP to enable a comparison of performance and costs to AC and PCC. In response to this need, a literature review was performed on ICP practices, projects, and costs across Canada and internationally. The literature review focused on aspects such as ICP design, performance, sustainability, maintenance, and life cycle costs.

To gain a better understanding of the state of practice, select municipal transportation agencies across North America were surveyed to gather information on existing municipal ICP sidewalks and streets. The survey comprised of 15 questions, which focused on ICP inspection, management practices, performance, and costs.

The key findings from the literature review are presented in this paper. The literature suggests that ICP can be long lasting (20+ years) when properly designed, installed, and maintained. In some cases, ICP can have competitive long-term costs, despite construction costs being typically higher than other pavement alternatives. The literature shows that ICP have low environmental impact, through the possibility of recycling a high percentage of the pavers. Some of the disadvantages found in the literature are that ICP needs frequent inspections, and that winter operations might require special equipment or adaptation to maintain the integrity of the pavers.

A summary of the survey results is presented in this paper. When asked about the benefits of ICP, the survey respondents said ICP improves aesthetics in a neighborhood, facilitates quicker utility cuts, can provide strong support for traffic, has good surface drainage, and is used for neighborhood traffic calming. On the other hand, a few participants reported challenges with ICP maintenance. Some of the challenges include replacing ICPs with consistent colors and/or styles, unique maintenance procedures or high maintenance frequency needed to maintain a high level of service.

The contributions from this research present the state of the practice as it relates to ICP practices. While the pavement type selection process should always include a Life Cycle Cost comparison with other pavement alternatives, this research presents another feasible option that could be considered.