Abstract
A port is an intermodal system in which many logistics activities requiring properly constructed areas occur. The large extension of these areas poses a major problem in choosing materials with technical and economic implications. Choice and design of pavements are directly related to the port handling systems and procedures for the disposal of the cargo units. The paper presents the design and verification procedures for three equivalent pavements for a handling pavement in an Italian medium-sized port trafficked by reach stackers moving containers. An asphalt pavement, a concrete pavement, and a concrete block pavement have been considered during the 20-year service life. Empirical and analytical methods have been adopted to design and verify the pavements. The structures have been examined in terms of economic concerns during the overall service life, considering both construction and maintenance costs, in order to determine the most cost-effective option. The results demonstrate the inappropriateness of asphalt pavement, in the examined case, from a construction costs point of view. Furthermore, the overall discounted costs show an inversion of convenience between block concrete pavement and cast in situ concrete: the latter is the cheaper solution. The proposed methodology can balance often conflicting objectives in matters of durability and funds management, providing answers to a complex topic.
Highlights
Selection criteria of port pavements constitute a fundamental aspect, which has a strong impact on both functional operation and economic investment of a port during its whole service life [1].Port activities imply several traffic demands, which are very different from each other and include loading docks, handling, and storage of goods, and the circulation of light, heavy, and very heavy vehicles [2].The design of pavements plays a crucial role because their construction and maintenance have a cost: according to Meletiou and Knapton [3], pavement costs represent up to 25% of the total cost of construction of a port
Port pavement management plays a crucial role from design, to construction, to rehabilitation [4] in order to optimize the available resources according to the life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) approach [5]
This paper presents the design and verification of three pavements for a handling port management of a rigid pavement is less frequent and expensive compared to a flexible pavement
Summary
Selection criteria of port pavements constitute a fundamental aspect, which has a strong impact on both functional operation and economic investment of a port during its whole service life [1]. Different types of vehicles are moving and working: the system of operational, productive, and economic activities is complex, and it requires careful design choice of pavements according to their use. Semi-rigid pavements are very similar to flexible pavements, but they have a cement-bound base layer. Semi-rigid pavements are used in presence of very heavy traffic (to be considered both as number of repetitions and entity of loads). Both flexible and semi-rigid pavements have a design period 15–20 years long. Semi-rigid and flexible pavements are generally unsuitable for parking areas reserved to heavy vehicles (Table 1): Continuous loads trigger creep deformations of asphalt [12].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
