Design of Concrete Block Paving in Home Zone Traffic Circle Areas

Abstract

Contemporary street space upgrade or regeneration projects tend to include setting up home zones that are located in large city suburbs, smaller towns or spas. These home zones feature one-way streets, merging of a pavement and carriageway into one level surface and various traffic calming measures (TCM), including speed tables and traffic circles (TC). Concrete paving blocks are the preferred surfacing material. As part of this study, traffic surveys were carried out in a small seaside spa in Poland to determine the accelerations and decelerations of vehicles passing through four traffic circles that have different central island heights and different streetscape characteristics. A visual assessment of the pavement condition was also carried out. The pavement deformation changes were analysed using 3D models derived on the basis of the terrestrial laser scanning data obtained with the Trimble SX10 scanning total station. The existing pavement structure was analysed as part of this study. Next, the areas that require strengthening were identified based on subsidence and horizontal forces analyses, with the latter calculated from the observed decelerations and accelerations of the passing vehicles. Finally, design guidelines are given for concrete block surfacing in high traffic impact locations.