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Roads & pavements

Roads and pavement standards are essential, just as road and pavements are an essential part of daily our lives. Like any other engineered structure, they are expected to be adequately strong and durable for their design life. They are also expected to function properly by providing a smooth traveling surface for the traffic under various conditions of the environment. In order to ensure this, roads and pavements must be designed, constructed, maintained, and managed properly. Our road and pavement standards help enable this.

Enabling better performance and safety of roads and pavements

Learn how standards support the provision of road and pavement infrastructure

Building better roads: How BS 594987 supports asphalt transport, laying, and compaction
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Building better roads: How BS 594987 supports asphalt transport, laying, and compaction

In the field of road construction and maintenance, precision and adherence to high standards are crucial for achieving durable, safe, and sustainable infrastructure.  BS 594987:2024 Asphalt for roads and other paved areas – Specification for transport, laying, compaction and product type testing protocols provides essential guidelines to ensure that asphalt mixtures meet the stringent requirements of the BS EN 13108 series of standards, which are legally mandated in the UK. has been newly revised to ensure it continues to serve as a key resource in this domain. As road networks face increasing demands from traffic and environmental pressures, BS 594987 stands as a vital tool for professionals aiming to deliver high-quality, long-lasting surfaces. An overview of BS 594987 BS 594987 is more than just a set of guidelines; it is a critical document that outlines the best practices for handling asphalt mixtures from the moment they leave the mixing plant until they are laid and compacted on the road surface.  This standard is indispensable for professionals involved in road construction, maintenance, and asphalt production, as it ensures that the asphalt used is of the highest quality, properly installed, and capable of withstanding the rigors of daily traffic. It is particularly focused on: Transporting asphalt mixtures: It lays out specific requirements for maintaining the integrity of asphalt during transport, ensuring that the mixtures arrive on-site in optimal condition. Laying and compaction: The document provides detailed protocols for laying and compacting asphalt mixtures, crucial for achieving a durable and even road surface. Product type testing: BS 594987 includes recommendations for testing asphalt mixtures to ensure they conform to BS EN 13108-20. This includes protocols for determining the design binder content of hot rolled asphalt (HRA) surface course mixtures and the calibration procedures for indirect density gauges. Discover how standards support the lifecycle of our road and pavement infrastructure by visiting our Roads & Pavements topic page.  What are the benefits of using BS 594987? The adoption of BS 594987:2024 offers numerous benefits to those involved in road construction and maintenance: Improved durability: By adhering to the protocols outlined in BS 594987, road surfaces are more likely to withstand heavy traffic and harsh weather conditions, reducing the need for frequent repairs and resurfacing. Enhanced safety: The standard’s emphasis on proper laying and compaction techniques ensures that roads are smooth and even, reducing the risk of accidents caused by poor road conditions. Sustainability: The inclusion of warm mix asphalt and other environmentally friendly practices helps road construction projects reduce their carbon footprint, contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. Legal compliance: Since the BS EN 13108 series of standards are legally mandated in the UK, following BS 594987 helps ensure that all road construction projects are fully compliant with national regulations. Cost-effectiveness: By promoting the use of durable materials and best practices, the standard helps reduce the long-term costs associated with road maintenance and repair. By adhering to the guidance in BS 594987, professionals in the industry can ensure that they are building roads that are not only durable and safe, but also environmentally responsible. Explore our collection of sustainability and net zero standards that are supporting decarbonization in the built environment and beyond. Visit our Net Zero Topic Page. Understanding the key changes in the latest revision to BS 594987 The construction industry is continuously evolving, and BS 594987 has been updated to reflect the latest advancements in asphalt technology and sustainable practices.  Here are some of the key changes in the latest revision: 1. Inclusion of warm mix asphalt One of the most significant updates is the addition of warm mix asphalt. Unlike traditional hot mix asphalt, warm mix asphalt is produced and applied at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This makes it a more environmentally friendly option, aligning with the global push towards sustainability in construction. 2. Enhanced guidance for bridge decks The revised standard includes updated guidelines on the materials and processes used for bridge decks. These updates ensure that bridge surfaces are not only durable but also capable of withstanding the unique stresses they face. 3. New annexes The standard now features several new annexes, each addressing specific aspects of asphalt handling and application: Transport and laying of mastic asphalt: This annex provides detailed instructions on the proper transport and laying techniques for mastic asphalt, which is often used in waterproofing and other specialized applications. Measurement of coated chippings: A new annex describes the method for measuring the rate of spread of coated chippings, which is essential for ensuring consistent surface texture and skid resistance. Compaction performance of rollers: Another annex details the method for assessing the compaction performance of rollers, a critical factor in achieving the desired density and durability of the road surface. 4. Focus on sustainability The updated BS 594987 standard places a strong emphasis on sustainability. This includes aligning with changes made in PD 6691, published in 2021, and updates to the National Highways specification, particularly regarding the use of warm mix asphalt. These changes are crucial for reducing the carbon footprint of road construction projects and supporting broader environmental goals. 5. Superseding BS 598-1:2011 With the incorporation of methods for measuring the rate of spread of coated chippings, BS 594987 has now superseded BS 598-1:2011. This consolidation ensures that all relevant guidelines are contained within a single, up-to-date standard, making it easier for professionals to adhere to best practices. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to implement the most advanced, sustainable practices in your road construction and maintenance projects. Get BS 594987 today.Read more
The structural pavement design standard series has been updated
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The structural pavement design standard series has been updated

In the 2000s, twelve British Standards were produced on the design, construction, and maintenance of pavements using modular paving units – but that proved to be an unwieldy number. This article explains how the series is now being consolidated for the benefit of all its users. The BS 7533 series covered the use of clay, concrete and natural stone paving units in pavement design, construction, and maintenance, and was published in twelve parts between 2001 and 2010. Unfortunately, what had seemed like a good idea at the time, proved to be less workable in practice. Use of the documents increased considerably as public-realm improvement schemes introduced more hard-landscaping and the cost of products decreased. But as the standards were used more often, it highlighted the fact that having so many parts caused confusion amongst designers and installers. The result was stress and the introduction of costly errors in terms of design and premature failure. It became clear that a rethink would be welcome. Introducing a New Standard Model The stone and concrete paving industries then worked together successfully to produce a new model for how these standards should be structured. The intention is that the BS 7533 series will now be published in three parts. The first is the newly published BS 7533-101:2021 Pavements constructed with clay, concrete, or natural stone paving units – Part 101: Code of Practice for the structural design of pavements using modular paving units. The second standard will be Part 102 Code of practice for the construction and maintenance of pavements using modular paving units. The third part will be designated either Part 13 or Part 103 and will be a guide to the design of permeable pavements constructed with concrete paving blocks and flags, natural stone slabs and setts, and clay pavers. To learn more about current trends in paving design and construction, discover our FREE webinar. BS 7533-101:2021: A Brand New Standard BS 7533-101:2021 provides guidance and recommendations on the design of pavements surfaced with concrete paving blocks manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1338; concrete paving flags manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1339; natural stone slabs manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1341; natural stone setts manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1342 and clay pavers manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1344 and constructed in accordance with BS 7533-3, BS 7533-4, BS 7533-7 and BS 7533-9. It also provides guidance and recommendations on the use of concrete curbs manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1340 and natural stone curbs manufactured in accordance with BS EN 1339 and constructed in accordance with BS 7533-82. It applies to areas subject to pedestrian and vehicular loadings permissible under The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 with axle loads up to 11,000kg and cumulative design traffic of up to 30 million standard axles (msa). What are the Benefits of BS 7533-101:2021? The revision of BS 7533-101:2021 brings users a lot of benefits, not least that they’ll save money from buying only one standard and not five. In addition, the hope is that the standard’s use simplifies the design process; helps reduce costly design errors and premature failure; helps mitigate risk in terms of missing important information caused by having to use different parts, and finally enables greater control of the procurement process. Potential users have commented that local authorities will now have more confidence in the standard. This in turn will mean that designers will not need to be instructed to over-specify products – such as thicker materials. It will mean there’s less need to source materials from far-afield due to cost, enabling materials to be sourced in the UK. The standard will also reduce the material and installation costs of large public-sector works. All around, it’s anticipated that this standard will be a great improvement for industry and the public. It contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure because it enables the construction of resilient pavements. BS 7533-101 and over 100,000 more internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. Our tailored subscription service puts the control in your hands, with traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's access to standards. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM51 Civil Engineering module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more. Add standard BS 7533-101:2021 to your collection today, and download our whitepaper 'Your road map to BS 7533-101' here.
Ask the experts: Answering your questions on BS 7533-101
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Ask the experts: Answering your questions on BS 7533-101

The summer of 2021 saw the launch of new pavement standard BS 7533-101. To help your adoption of the best practices in this standard, our experts have answered your frequently asked questions on this new guidance. Published in 2021, BS 7533-101 provides recommendations and guidance on the design of pavements surfaced with modular paving units. This new standard serves as an update to the existing BS 7533 series by consolidating several design standards into one document.  This affects the design of all modular paving in the UK. Why is BS 7533-101 needed? The use of concrete blocks, clay pavers, stone setts, and concrete and stone slabs or flags and kerb units has significantly increased since the original standards were published.   Public sector improvement schemes have increased their hard landscaping and the cost of the products has become more competitive. Therefore, a comprehensive portfolio of design standards will provide consistency and promote their further use. Over time the provisions contained within the previous pavement standards have become obsolete and the many versions caused confusion amongst designers and installers, leading to a risk of errors and premature failure. Revising and updating the parts of the BS 7533 series on design - and consolidating seven parts into the one - BS 7533-101 - has simplified the design process for users and will reduce significant errors, also making the products and pavements significantly more durable. To learn more about the changes, read our article 'The structural pavement design standard series has been updated' Your frequently asked questions answered Since the launch of BS 7533-101, we have run both a webinar and podcast exploring its importance to the built environment. To support you further, we have asked the experts behind the standard to answer your frequently asked questions. Sustainability and Net Zero Question 1: How is concrete considered a low carbon material? Answer: Many material comparison studies have been conducted over the years to monitor this, such as Hammond (2011), the University of Bath Carbon database, and many others. We have all heard about the claim that concrete emissions make 6-8% of the world’s CO2 emissions. It should be noted that those figures over-estimate the carbon load for concrete in the UK, which only makes around 1.5% of the UK’s carbon emissions (around 25% only of the global impact average).  The reason that concrete continues to have a major impact on global CO2 emissions is that it is used in such high quantities - around 30,000Mt per year. However, in the past decade, the UK has managed to halve concrete CO2 levels, and UK cement and concrete are continuing to progress rapidly towards net zero. Safety Question 2: On the importance of tonal contrast of blister tactile paving (the different messaging associated with buff and red coloured) - does BS 7533-101 provide guidance on this or refer out to the relevant guidance in other standards? Answer: Although not specified in BS 7533-101, there are requirements in BS 8300 to be followed to obtain sufficient contrast in adjoining pavement surfaces. This is to ensure the safety of pedestrian users and cyclists. In particular, the information on light reflection should be obtained for the stone concerned when wet as well as dry. It is not easy to optimize the contrast in both circumstances and it may be prudent to think through this matter before deciding on the main aspects of the colour scheme to avoid re-design from being necessary. Question 3: In Sweden, tests are being carried out on a shock-absorbent mix that absorbs more than 80% of the impact of a fall. A safer surface would encourage older people to take more exercise, improving physical and mental health. Should this new mix laid on pedestrian pathways be given priority? Answer: To provide a correct response we should point out that the scope of BS 7533-101 is to address a specific type of pavement design: modular paving.  The modules which comprise the pavement are limited by the scope of the standard to those described in European product norms - BS EN 1338, BS EN 1339, BS EN 1340, BS EN 1341, BS EN 1342, and BS EN 1343. The type of pavement the question refers to comprises a homogenous surfacing material, namely rubber crumb, and stone aggregate bound together with bitumen. Relevant BSI documents exist for this type of pavement. Whilst there is sometimes new research into manufacturing paving modules and other construction industry modular elements using rubber crumb there is - to the best of our knowledge - no standards existing to address this hypothetical application. Technical Details Question 4: In BS 7533-101, Bound System A details that for this system the paver should be deeper than its width. Could you explain the reason for this in more detail?  There aren't many pavers that are deeper than they are wide unless the unit is used on its side. Answer: Firstly, a clarification, clause 6.4.2 states that Bound System A should be used only for setts and pavers having depth not less than width. It does not state that they should always be deeper than width, only that they should not be shallower. Even so, for natural stone setts, it is sometimes necessary to design with setts that are deeper than their width, in the highest traffic categories. The need for setts in Bound System A to be no less deep than their width and sometimes deeper than their width in higher traffic categories can be explained as Bound System A may be laid over a bituminous bound asphalt concrete base (AC) or an unbound base layer, to which the bedding mortar does not adhere, and the setts are also not strongly adhered to the bedding mortar. The base, therefore, provides less support in compression than with Bound System B and a relatively weak connection in tension. When the pavement is subjected to purely static, vertical loading the jointing mortar is subjected to shear forces and the ability to resist those forces is directly proportional to the depth of the joint; in short, deeper is better. When the pavement is subjected to dynamic loading, the reaction of the setts is to rotate about a horizontal axis; the jointing mortar is again subjected to shear forces but also to extremes of stress and strain in the top and bottom regions of the joint.  Just as we might consider the mechanical advantage provided by levers, the deeper the sett is in relation to its width, the better the reduction in stress and strain at the top and bottom of the joint.  This is also why pavement surfaces sometimes buckle and lift when overloaded and we can say that pavements generally fail up, not down. Whilst pre-cast concrete and clay pavers are more often shallower than their width, a relatively few being square or deeper as standard, natural stone setts can be manufactured having an infinite variety of dimensions, and setts having a depth greater than width are not unusual. Question 5: With increased flooding events likely going forward, what are the recommendations for avoiding the washout of the jointing and laying course? BS 7533-101 seems to indicate that unbound is hard-wearing, but we have increasing issues of the material being washed out requiring full relaying. Answer: If the bedding and jointing are in accordance with BS 7533-101, washout can be avoided if the surface is sealed. Drainage of the sand is also essential to avoid this from occurring. Do you have any questions about BS 7533-101 that you would like to ask the experts? Get in touch with our Customer Relations Team here - cservices@bsigroup.com. You can also add BS 7533-101 to your collection today. Discover BSI Knowledge Subscriptions BS 7533-101 and over 100,000 more internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. Our tailored subscription service puts the control in your hands, with traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's access to standards. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM51 Civil Engineering module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.
Watch our webinar: Designing modular paving to last
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Watch our webinar: Designing modular paving to last

For ease of use, the stone, concrete and other specialist paving industries have collaborated to consolidate the formerly 12-part BS 7533 series into three code of practice standards on the use of clay, concrete and natural stone paving units in pavement design, construction, and maintenance. BSI has hosted a webinar that explains how the series is being reconfigured; introduces the main technical changes in the first new standard in the series: BS 7533-101:2021; and adds further value with presentations on areas including pavement design, highways engineering, and concrete, stone, and clay as paving materials. Watching the webinar on-demand will be beneficial for the following audience: Public and private sector designers Suppliers and contractors employed by the county, district, and unitary councils UK local authorities, highway authorities, and rail authorities and their supply chains Metropolitan authorities such as TfL, Highways England, Transport Scotland, the National Assembly for Wales and the Department for Regional Development Northern Ireland Airport owners, and their planners and environmental specialists for their landside operations that make extensive use of modular paving Architects for commercial and residential developments Participants of the webinar will gain the following: Expert insights about paving design and materials A better understanding of the new structure of the BS 7533 series A clear explanation of the main technical changes in, and benefits of, BS 7533-101:2021 A post-event copy of the webinar presentations and a recording To read more about the changes to the BS 7533 series on modular paving units, click here. Key Webinar Details Our paving webinar took place on 20th October 2021 for anyone who wanted to know more about design and how to use different modular paving materials. It was also for anyone using standards in the BS 7533 series on modular paving units, which is being reorganized from 12 standards to three to make the series easier to use. We covered why this is happening and explored current trends in paving design and construction. Our speakers included: Alex Patrick-Smith of Dreadnought Tiles on the use of clay materials Colin Nessfield of British Precast on the use of concrete materials David Burton of Tuffbau on the use of stone materials Ian Walsh of Road Consultants on the highways engineering perspective on designing a pavement Michael Heap of Cedstone on the use of stone materials Phil Crichton of Tuffbau on the end-user perspective on designing a pavement Tom Emerton of Marshalls on the use of concrete materials Don't miss out! The good news is it's not too late. Watch the webinar on-demand here. Discover BSI Knowledge Subscriptions BS 7533-101 and over 100,000 more internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. Our tailored subscription service puts the control in your hands, with traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's access to standards. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM51 Civil Engineering module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

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