Abstract Manager

This research focuses on developing and evaluating an innovative urban Interlocking Concrete Pavement (ICP) to address challenges in urban businesses and residential areas. Its unique shape distinguishes it from conventional interlocking pavements, making it suitable for urban traffic. Given the uncommon use and distinctive shape of ICPs in urban roadways, pavement surface deflection analysis is crucial for assessing the structural performance and serviceability of this pavement type. Deflection analysis evaluates the pavement's capacity to withstand heavy loads, maintain structural integrity, and demonstrate its performance advantages over traditional designs. The study presents a collaborative effort conducted by the Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT) at Waterloo University (UW), in partnership with Sidewalk Labs, a New York-based sibling company of Google located in Toronto. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate maximum pavement deflection under heavy truck loads and to determine the optimum pavement thickness using a 3D finite element method (FEM). ABAQUS was employed for this analysis, yielding a calculated maximum deflection of -2.1 µm, which is significantly lower than that of conventional interlocking pavements. The optimum pavement thickness was determined to be 20 cm. The results indicate that the proposed ICP exhibits superior deflection performance under heavy repeated loads. Although the findings are promising, further studies, such as field tests and long-term performance assessments, are needed to confirm the pavement's structural integrity and durability under real-world traffic and environmental conditions. Additionally, the influence of other factors, like thermal effects and subgrade variations, should be investigated to fully integrate this pavement into urban infrastructure.