Concrete PavementConcrete Pavement

nyone who purchases a product online, shops forgroceries, drives their kids to soccer practice, ortravels across the country or across townbenefits from a vast network of roadways,

highways, airports, and industrial pavements. In fact,every day in every way, everyone is impacted by atransportation network that is largely taken for granted.

Whether you are directly or indirectly responsiblefor or involved in preserving surface transportationinfrastructure, or just someone who depends on thatnetwork, it is time to take a new look at some of thechallenges and new opportunities that are availabletoday.

After you read “The Right Choice Under Your Tires,”we invite you to find out even more answers to yourquestions by visiting www.pavements4life.com or bye-mailing us at info@acpa.org. We’ll be happy to

provide you with more answersand put you in contact with alocal representative in yourarea.

The Right Choice Beneath Your Tires

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oncrete has been used to build some of thelongest-lasting highways, airports, roadways, andother pavements in the world.

Across the U.S., there are concrete highwaysand roads that were designed to last 20 years, but havelasted 30, 40, or 50 years, or even longer. Many ofthese pavements are carrying significantly more traffic,

including larger trucks carryingheavier loads, than engineersoriginally intended.

No matter where you live, youprobably have experienced thefrequent replacement of roads madefrom materials that are not as strongand durable as concrete. Thesepavements were probably a littlecheaper to build up front, but in thelong run they are robbing all of uswith high maintenance costs and losttime from frequent delays formaintenance, resurfacing andreplacement.

A very simple combination ofwater, sand, stone, and a little cement createsstrong, long-lasting concrete for pavements.Concrete’s basic ingredients have not changedmuch in 100 years, but new technology isenhancing its features. For example, embeddedfibers and special chemical additives, created bysome of the brightest minds in the industry, makeconcrete even tougher and able to withstand today’straffic and heavier loads (demands that arepredicted to continue to grow).

No other paving material, no matter howcommonly used, can achieve the same high level ofperformance as concrete. For the longest lastinghighways, airports, and roadways, the right choiceto put beneath your tires is concrete pavement. �

Because Highways andRoadways Must Last Longer

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very time you pump gasoline or diesel fuel into yourcar or truck, you are paying taxes fortransportation infrastructure. Paying tolls also ispayment for the road under your tires. Taxpayers

and road users own the roads and deserve the mostinformed decisions on how their moneyis invested.

Concrete pavements areunquestionably the right choice becausethey almost always have the lowesttotal ownership cost, and becausedurable concrete naturally requires farless maintenance than asphalt.

For decades engineers and agencieshave settled for using lower qualitymaterials because building withconcrete cost slightly more up front,despite the fact that concretepavements cost as much as a thirdless during a 30 - to 40 - year life cycle.

A significant first-cost gap no longer existstoday, as inflation of prices for other road-surfacing materials has been far greater than forconcrete. In many cases, concrete roads not onlyprovide the lowest ownership cost, they arecomparably priced or less costly to build up front.

Engineers and owners can now more clearlysee that, whether they are looking at initial projectcosts or long-term ownership costs… concretepavements, are the right choice beneath yourtires. �

Because the True Cost of Ownershipis What Matters

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lmost all of the work on the nation's highways androadways aims to preserve what is already thereinstead of expanding the system’s capacity.Concrete overlays are an excellent choice to help

preserve and rehabilitate existing systems. Ranging inthickness from 2 inches to 11 inches or more, concreteoverlays of existing asphalt, concrete, or compositepavements create a new pavement structure withsuperior structural and sustainability benefits. Concreteoverlays can extend the service life of highways, streets,airports, and other pavements by 15 years or more.

Concrete overlay construction is fast, efficient, andincreasingly competitive with asphalt overlays. There'smore awareness about these advantages because ofrecent oil and asphalt paving material price increases,but even if prices ease, concrete provides a viablesolution now and for the future. Local supplies of raw

Because the TransportationNetwork Needs to Be Preserved

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materials for concrete are readily available while worldsupplies of oil are limited.

Another important consideration is energyconservation in construction. Consider that according toFederal Highway Administration figures, a 10-in. thickconcrete pavement requires about 1,900 gallons ofdiesel fuel per mile to construct, while a similar asphaltpavement requires as much as 5.5 times more fuel. Fuelconsumption and costs are lower for concrete duringoriginal construction, but also during the life of thepavement, because fuel is also used during frequentresurfacing of shorter-lived pavements.

Concrete pavements are the right choice beneath ourtires because they help preserve our network andconserve valuable resources. �

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he world’s population grew from 2.9 billion in 1950to almost 6.8 billion in 2009, according to theU.S. Census Bureau. As the population hasincreased and industrial development has grown

with it, the world’s supply of natural resources becomesmore scarce and at greater risk of depletion.

Sustainability – balancing environmental requirementswith societal needs and economic considerations – is oneof the most important issues of our time. Although goinggreen may be a recent thing for many industries,concrete pavements have a long history of exceptional

environmental performance.Recyclability and Reuse—

Concrete is the most recycledconstruction material in theworld, according to theConstruction MaterialsRecycling Association.Concrete is 100% recyclableand reusable, and can beused as aggregate in newconcrete pavements, basematerials for new roadways,or for other uses, includingerosion control and floodprevention.

Local Supplies—Concretepavements are typicallyproduced from abundantsupplies of locally availableresources, such as rock,sand, cement, and water.Modern concrete alsoincorporates waste materials,such as slag, which comesfrom iron manufacturing, andfly ash, a byproduct of energyproduction.

Because Safeguarding the Environmentis Everyone’s Responsibility

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Light Reflectance—Concrete isnaturally light-reflective, which reducesstreet lighting requirements (and savesenergy). This enhances safety andhelps reduce urban air temperature(reducing heat island effects). Darkercolored paving materials cannotprovide these benefits.

Durability—Because concretepavements last longer than otherpavements, they don’t waste additionalresources, including the fuel consumedin frequent maintenance and repair ofpavements made from less durablematerials. This also means that thereis less traffic congestion with concretepavement which, in turn, saves fuelthat would be used by cars and truckswaiting in traffic, and lowers pollutionemitted from vehicles idling in longconstruction work zones.

Fossil Fuel Savings—Vehiclestraveling on concrete roadways useless fuel because the “rolling resistance” is much lowerthan on other paving materials. Studies show that trucksget as much as 6% percent better fuel efficiency onconcrete pavements. Concrete pavements also requireless fuel to construct than roads built in many thinlayers, like asphalt. In fact, according to fuel usagefactors published by the Federal Highway Administration,it can be shown that an asphalt roadway requires about4.5 times more diesel fuel than a concrete roaddesigned for the same traffic.

For pavements that meet sustainability goals,concrete is the best material choice under our tires. �

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ivic leaders and people responsible for planning andbuilding our communities are finding that it is notonly possible, but very practical to balance naturalelements with man-made structures. Concrete

plays a key role in transforming cities and towns intobeautiful, exciting, thriving areas that support theenvironment, while also benefiting residents, businesses,and the community.

Concrete’s natural reflectance brightens roadways,parking areas, and sidewalks. It looks cleaner and staysclean-looking longer than other construction materials.

Decorative and colored concrete pavements arebreathing new life into urban areas, increasing civicpride. Red-colored, stamped concrete is used tosimulate brick in crosswalks and other areas to create

Because Streetscapes BuildCivic Pride

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decorative patterns, which enhance the appearance ofthe cityscape.

Designers have even added state symbols, pictures,and other decorative aspects to concrete roads, bridgecolumns, crosswalks, and more.

For planners and public works officials looking toenhance the beauty and functionality of their cities andtowns, concrete pavements are the right choice. �

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f there is such a thing as an all-purpose pavementto meet all demands, concrete pavement may wellbe the answer, as a result of decades of innovation.The concrete pavement industry is continually

developing new paving processes and products, all aimedat meeting the changing demands of the traveling public,as well as those of the people responsible for our nation’ssurface transportation network.

A new generation of quiet pavements … Inresponse to urban noise and the public’s demand forquieter urban roadways, the concrete pavement industryhas invested millions of dollars to develop and extensivelytest (in the lab and in the field) a unique surface texturethat can be used for either new or existing concretepavements.

The “Next Generation Concrete Surface” (NGCS) iscurrently in fieldevaluations, where it isshowing some promisingresults. NGCS sections areproving to be as quiet as orquieter than any alternative,including the newestgenerations of asphaltpavements. Concretepavements with NGCS arenot only quiet when they arefirst built, they remain quietduring their service lives.

Because Innovation BenefitsEveryone

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Next Generation Concrete Surface

A different kind of CPR … All pavements eventuallyneed to be repaired or replaced. This is true because ofthe effects of routine wear and tear, the effects ofconstant changes in the environment surrounding thepavement, and the soils beneath the pavement.

A technique called concrete pavement restoration(CPR) can preserve and extend the service life of olderconcrete pavements when sections become uneven orwhen the pavement loses some of its surface features.This typically involves grinding away a small amount of thesurface to remove bumps and minor damage, leaving alike-new pavement that is smooth, quiet, durable, andsafe.

Diamond grinding is almost always a cost-effectivealternative to overlays, particularly on heavily traveledroutes where asphalt resurfacing may last onlyfive to seven years. Diamond grinding canextend highway pavement life by another 16 or17 years, according to research by theCalifornia Department of Transportation.

Fast-track paving … “Get in, do it right, getout, and stay out!” This is not just a promise, it’sa way of life for the concrete pavement industry.In cases where construction or repairs are on

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Concrete overlay technology

Thermographreveals coolconcretepavement

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Because Innovation Benefits Everyone(continued)

particularly busy pavement sections, fast-track paving isthe answer. Unique planning and construction stagingtechniques, advanced traffic management, and specialrapid-setting concrete mixtures are used to build orrehabilitate pavements quickly and with minimal disruption.Many fast-track pavements have been completedovernight and then opened to rush hour traffic the nextmorning.

New techniques using pre-cast concrete slabs are alsogaining popularity. Precast slabs are made in an off-sitefacility, shipped to the construction site and lifted intoplace, allowing traffic to resume using the roadway withinhours.

Better resurfacing … Thin concrete overlays,measuring 2 inches to 4 inches thick, were created byindustry engineers of the ACPA to provide a cost-effectivealternative to thin asphalt overlays pavements, whichtypically last about 10 years. Concrete overlays typicallyoutlast the competition, as well as exceed their lifeexpectancy. The result? Some of the earliest and thinnestconcrete overlays, placed in the early 1980’s, were

carrying traffic for nearly 20years—more than twicetheir engineered design life.Summary

For today and tomorrow,concrete pavement is themost cost-effective, mostsustainable choice forhighways, airports,roadways, and otherpavement applications.Concrete pavements arethe right choice beneathyour tires. �

Precast concrete panel

About the ACPAThe American Concrete Pavement Association is the national tradeassociation for the concrete pavement industry. The primary mission of theACPA is to create and maintain a strong national presence throughdynamic, strategic leadership; effective technical expertise and resources;and persuasive advocacy on behalf of the concrete pavement industry.

Founded in 1963, the American Concrete Pavement Association isheadquartered in Chicago at5420 Old Orchard Road, Skokie, Ill. 60077.Telephone: 847.966.2272. Fax: 847.966.9970.

Visit our public education website at www.pavements4life.comVisit our technical website at www.acpa.org.

“The Right Choice Beneath Your Tires” is a publication of the American ConcretePavement Association (ACPA). This edition, adapted from “Why ConcretePavements?” published in 1999, includes information from ACPA’s “Quick & Direct”flyers, websites, and other source materials. References for data and otherinformation mentioned in this document may be found on the website,www.pavements4life.com. This publication is ©2010, the American ConcretePavement Association (ACPA), 5420 Old Orchard Road, Ste. A100, Skokie, Illinois60077 (USA). All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproducedor re-transmitted electronically or mechanically without the expressed, writtenpermission of the publisher.

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