Construction of Rigid Pavement in Emerging Economies: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

AbstractAlthough flexible pavement is commonly used in the world, there are calls for considering rigid pavement due to the long-term environmental, economic, and social benefits it may provide. Evaluating the use of rigid pavement in addition to flexible pavement is especially important for the emerging economies which are seeking for the reconciliation between sustainability development and economic growth. Although more studies have started to discuss the adoption of rigid pavement, there is a lack of research that examines the challenges and opportunities with regard to the design and construction of rigid pavement in these countries. The paper aims at filling this knowledge gap in the context of Vietnam. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses of 42 engineering professionals who have worked for various transportation projects in the country. Result was disaggregated by three project roles the participants held including contractor, consultant, and owner. The overall result indicated that the availability of Portland cement from various production plants distributed across the country was the most important opportunity from adopting rigid pavement. On the other hand, the lack of pilot projects in rigid pavement, ignorance of sustainability considerations in project planning, lack of capable contractors, needs of modern equipment, and having the proper concrete curing methods are major challenges in management, planning, construction, and maintenance that participants are concerned. This paper contributes to the sustainability development debate in roadway construction by illuminating the pathway for adopting and expanding the use of rigid pavement in emerging economies.