03
Bridge approaches
BLC may be studied in approach pavements and adjoining interfaces, through a design that coordinates ground conditions, water and thermal behaviour.
Read the overviewRoad applications
Integrate lightweight insulating concrete into pavement designed for its ground, climate and traffic. Three application contexts with project-specific engineering.
01
Rural roads
Assess pavement insulation with roadside ditches, shoulders, culverts and agricultural or truck loads in mind.
- Characterize subgrade, water levels and frost-sensitive areas.
- Plan outlets, lateral frost protection and culvert connections.
- Adapt the structure to actual vehicles, access and construction sequencing.
02
Municipal streets
Assess compatibility with utilities, curbs, access chambers and future pavement interventions.
- Identify buried utilities and excavation constraints.
- Design drainage of pavement layers and its connection to an outlet.
- Detail interfaces around structures and reconstruction after interventions.
03
High-traffic roads and highways
Assess the complete structure, including heavy traffic, interfaces and construction-stage traffic.
- Establish design traffic and review fatigue mechanisms for each material.
- Address edges, joints, construction breaks and transitions.
- Define phasing, protection, quality checks and opening criteria.
04
Frost, transitions and cover
Insulation performance is part of the pavement’s overall thermal and mechanical design.
- Design lateral frost protection and transitions at section ends.
- Evaluate differential surface icing and thermal properties for in-service moisture.
- Design cover for applicable project requirements, loads and construction traffic.
05
Water and drainage
Provide a continuous drainage path from pavement layers to a suitable outlet.
- Assess slopes, filtration, grading and drainage-layer thickness.
- Coordinate drains, ditches, collectors and crossing structures.
- Plan inspection and maintenance; a surface catch basin does not automatically drain pavement layers.
Pavements: assessing a 12-inch layer
A design approach addressing loads, cover, drainage, interfaces and thermal behaviour.
An October 21 exploratory note examines 304.8 mm of lightweight concrete in several assemblies and hypothetical seasonal conditions.
It helps define engineering checks: material fatigue, applicable cover, construction traffic, drainage, lateral frost and differential surface icing.
Twelve inches is a study starting point. The note establishes neither an allowable overall ESAL capacity nor a guaranteed service life; the complete structure requires project-specific design.
Prepare your road project
Provide the location, road category, traffic, known ground conditions and excavation constraints. BLC can identify relevant records and engineering checks.
Illustrated pavement dossier
Three road settings, conceptual cross-sections and comparisons from the InnovAct study.