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Title: Residential Paving On Highly Reactive Soils

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/13/2011

Abstract:
Adaptable housing and access to housing for people with disabilities has identified a new challenge for the designer of residential paving on highly reactive soils. No longer is it acceptable to design the paving to move relative to the house, as a fixed relationship between the house and the paving is required to enable these people to gain access (in case of wheel chair access, no step is permitted). In addition the paving must remain serviceable for people using wheel chairs and mobility aids (eg walking frames). Segmented paving distorts and separates while traditional unreinforced concrete tends to form steps at the joints or cracks badly. Both styles move relative to the building due to swell and shrinkage of expansive soil, giving unacceptable changes of level between the building and paving at entrances. The South Australian Housing Trust has trialed a reinforced concrete paving pinned to the footing. Detailed levels were taken over a three year period to determine the movement that occurred on site and to monitor the performance of the paving. Details of the paving and detailed results of the monitoring are provided. While some cracking occurred, the paving remained functional despite differential movements of 60mm between the house and the edge of the 1.2m path. This research has not only identified a solution to providing paving which allows access for people with disabilities, but also demonstrates the magnitude of soil movements that actually occur in the field.