The layer that constitutes the floor of a non-natural surface is called pavement.
From the Latin pavimentum , the pavement is the layer or base that constitutes the floor of a construction or a non-natural surface. The pavement functions as support for living beings and things.
It is important to keep in mind that the pavement can be covered with different materials, such as stones or wood . The term, however, is usually associated in some countries with asphalt , the material used to build streets, routes and other communication routes.
For example: “The pavement of this road is in terrible condition” , “Miguel decided to visit the town thinking that the road had pavement, but he found a dirt path” , “The government should invest more money to improve the pavement of these streets.”
How the pavement is made
It is believed that one of the oldest methods of paving was what is known as the Roman road , created to facilitate communications and transfers within the Empire . This road was developed in various stages and some of its stretches still remain in good condition.
The so-called asphalt mixtures and concrete are the most common materials to create urban pavement , since they have good support performance and allow the constant passage of vehicles without suffering major damage.
In recent years, the development of pavement that is sustainable and respects the environment has been promoted. In this sense, it is worth mentioning the creation of pavement that combines asphalt with rubber dust obtained from recycled tires and the use of the product known as noxer , which has the ability to absorb the pollution produced by car exhaust pipes. the vehicles.
Asphalt is the most common material for paving roads and streets.
The importance of resistance
Since a large percentage of car accidents that occur every day in large cities are related to the deterioration of streets, it is of great importance to prolong the life of pavements. This is achieved by studying potential changes in their designs, so that the wear produced by the vehicles only affects the surface layer and does not generate structural damage. It is evident that the benefits of such advances would have repercussions on both road safety and the economy.
On the other hand, in countries with a high degree of industrialization, every year the number of heavy vehicles that travel their routes without mercy grows, which exponentially accelerates the wear and tear of the roads. If an alternative to the current structure is not sought, traffic interruptions for maintenance and reconstruction will become more frequent, leading to problems such as traffic jams, noise pollution, higher levels of stress and violence.
But this problem goes hand in hand with the excess of cars in cities , an issue that some governments try to combat by promoting the use of public transportation . The most common reasons for not using one's own car are usually related to private parking fees or tickets issued by machines, and not to the desire for a healthier life, with less noise and traveling on smog-free streets. It is even less expected that anyone would care about the integrity of the asphalt; This issue is only worrying when it threatens to destroy our vehicles.
Short-term solutions to these issues can be sought, such as revolutionizing the composition of the pavement to achieve much greater resistance without increasing the thickness , or multiplying the number of highways to paint paintings typical of science fiction movies, but that only constitutes a series of patches that conceal for a time a much larger problem, present at the root of societies that seek to accelerate their lives until they lose control.