The term pavement surface describes a durable surface construction composed of individual stones or slabs. It is used in road and pathway construction, on plazas, in courtyards, in industrial environments, and in sensitive historic city areas. Pavement surfaces combine load-bearing capacity, drainage, and design quality. Over the life cycle of the pavement surface, deconstruction, refurbishment, and the careful handling of adjacent components also play an important role—especially where selective work is required or concrete components must be released along edges and curbs. In practice, tools such as lifting clamp/tongs and hydraulic wedge splitter are used, for example when lifting concrete curbs, separating concrete slabs, or during selective removal.
Definition: What is meant by pavement surface
A pavement surface is a predominantly jointed wearing course made of cuboid- or slab-shaped stones placed on a layered system of base course(s) and pavement bedding. The stones are typically made of concrete, natural stone, or fired clay. The surface carries loads, distributes them into the subgrade, conducts surface water, allows—in line with the build-up—infiltration, and can be lifted and reused if required. Unlike monolithic concrete or asphalt pavements, the pavement surface is segmented and therefore maintenance-friendly.
Structure and layers of a pavement surface
The structural build-up determines durability, load-bearing capacity, and maintenance effort. Common elements are a frost-proof subgrade, a frost protection layer, an unbound or bound base course, the bedding (usually chippings), and the stone layer with joint infill.
Unbound and bound construction
- Unbound construction: Base course and bedding are granular and not stabilized with binders. Advantages include good water drainage, easy repairs, and flexible deformation capacity. Suitable for footpaths, residential streets, plazas, and many industrial areas.
- Bound construction: Base courses or joints are produced with hydraulic binders (e.g., drainage concrete, bound joints). This increases shear strength, reduces joint loss, and is suitable for high point loads or steep gradients. Drainability and crack control must be carefully planned.
Bedding and joints
The bedding is usually 3–5 cm thick and made of angular chippings. Typical joint widths range from 3 to 5 mm for concrete pavers and are larger for natural stone depending on format and tolerances. Joint material (chippings, sand, bound mortars) influences permeability, stability, and maintenance. Bound joints reduce washout but require an appropriate drainage concept.
Materials and properties
The choice of material defines appearance, feel, abrasion resistance, and behavior under temperature and moisture changes. In addition to strength and dimensional accuracy, frost and de-icing salt resistance, slip resistance, and surface texture are decisive.
Concrete pavers
Standard-compliant concrete stones are dimensionally stable, available in many formats and laying patterns, and allow clear structural design. They are widely used on traffic areas, in logistics, production zones, and municipal projects. Edge chamfers and interlocking geometries improve load transfer.
Natural stone paving
Granite, basalt, greywacke, or limestone offer high durability and a traditional appearance. Dimensional tolerances and split-rough surfaces require careful installation. Origin affects color, texture, and carbon footprint. In natural stone extraction, raw blocks are often prepared by splitting; for this, hydraulic wedge splitter and hydraulic splitter (wedge) can be used, as is common in the field of natural stone quarrying.
Clinker pavers
Fired clay units are colorfast, abrasion-resistant, and offer a distinctive look due to their ceramic structure. They are more sensitive to unsuitable joint material and require proper drainage.
Laying patterns and surfaces
The laying pattern influences load distribution, resistance to deformation, and appearance. Common patterns are running bond, stack bond, block bond, or herringbone. Surface finishes can be blasted, flamed, sawn, or split-rough. For barrier-reduced areas, flatness, small joint widths, and slip-resistant but not overly rough surfaces are important.
Drainage and infiltration
A functioning water management concept protects the base and subgrade and reduces frost damage. Options include cross fall, channels, upstands, drainable bedding and joints, and permeable pavers. In urban areas, permeable surfaces combine rainwater management with amenity. For bound constructions, movement joints and targeted water conveyance must be considered.
Planning, design, and loading
Dimensioning is based on subgrade parameters, traffic loading, axle loads, and climatic boundary conditions. For heavy-traffic areas, thicker stones, higher base course thicknesses, and displacement-resistant patterns should be provided. Edge restraints prevent lateral migration of the surface and must be matched to braking and steering actions.
Load classes and joint function
- Pedestrian and bicycle traffic: focus on flatness, slip resistance, small joints.
- Delivery and emergency access: increased base course thicknesses, form-locking patterns.
- Heavy duty and industrial: thick stones, wear-resistant joints, possibly bound areas.
Execution: installation and quality assurance
The evenness of the base course, uniform bedding thickness, and consistent stone sorting are critical. After laying, the joints are filled and the surface is properly compacted. Transitions to manholes, inlets, and edge restraints must be constructed with minimal warping to avoid edge spalling.
Edge restraints and component interfaces
Curbs, curb stones, and concrete bands secure the surface. During refurbishments, these components often need to be released selectively, for example when renewing curb ramps or creating utility trenches. In existing structures, lifting clamp/tongs are frequently used for gripping and hydraulic wedge splitter for controlled releasing to limit vibrations and damage to adjacent surfaces.
Maintenance and cleaning
Regular re-sanding or refilling of open joints, removal of organic growth, and inspection of edge restraints extend service life. Mechanical cleaning should not wash out joints. De-icing salts should be used with care depending on the material to avoid surface damage and color changes.
Renovation, deconstruction, and selective demolition of pavement surfaces
In existing environments, partial areas are often the focus: repairs after utility works, modifications to fixtures, or local increases in load capacity. During deconstruction, low-damage removal is important to enable stone reuse and to protect adjacent components.
- Selective lifting of stones and slabs: Sequential releasing, sorting, and storage for reuse. For large-format concrete slabs, targeted splitting with hydraulic wedge splitter controls fractures and facilitates lifting.
- Releasing curbs and concrete bands: lifting clamp/tongs grip and separate components precisely. In concrete demolition and special deconstruction, this enables vibration-reduced trenching or curb ramp works.
- Cutting through reinforced components at edges: If reinforcing steel is encountered, attachment shear or Multi Cutters are used depending on the situation. Hydraulic power is supplied via hydraulic power units.
- Strip-out and cutting in the vicinity of paved areas: For add-ons or fixtures containing concrete and steel, suitable tools enable selective separation without unnecessarily affecting intact pavement zones.
For natural stone paving made from broken stones, source-separated removal is a sustainability advantage. Hydraulic splitting enables controlled work in sensitive areas, such as historic city centers, courtyards, or near vibration-sensitive equipment.
Life cycle, reuse, and sustainability
A key advantage of the pavement surface is the basic reusability of the stones. This reduces material consumption and emissions. With professional removal, concrete and natural stone units can be relaid or high-quality recycled. Selective methods—such as precise gripping with lifting clamp/tongs or controlled splitting with hydraulic wedge splitter—support source-separated sorting. In special situations (special demolition), a vibration-reduced approach can be the protective measure for adjacent structures.
Typical damage patterns and causes
- Settlements due to inadequate base courses or insufficient compaction.
- Edge spalling and lateral migration due to missing or weak edge restraints.
- Joint loss and washouts during heavy rain or when unsuitable joint material is used.
- Frost–de-icing salt damage on sensitive stones or surfaces.
- Displacements from braking and steering forces with unsuitable patterns.
Renovation addresses the cause: improving drainage, renewing the bedding, re-compacting the base course, replacing damaged stones. At component interfaces with concrete, precise separation and lifting measures may be appropriate depending on the damage pattern.
Safety, noise, and vibration protection in existing settings
Work on the pavement surface often takes place close to buildings, utilities, or sensitive facilities. Low emissions, controlled force transfer, and short intervention times are advantageous. Hydraulic splitting and gripping methods reduce vibrations and noise emissions compared with percussive methods and help avoid damage to intact fabric.
Normative and organizational notes
Applicable standards and guidelines govern the planning, execution, testing, and maintenance of paved surfaces. These include provisions on building materials, subgrades, flatness, slip resistance, and drainage. Requirements may vary by country and application. Client and authority specifications should be clarified at an early stage. The information in this article is of a general nature and does not replace project-specific design or verification.