Guidance on the design and installation of paved concrete gutters (Part 2)

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Laying of paving stones without bonding agent

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 13: Absent bond owing to insufficient compaction and “thirsting” of the cement paste of the foundation concrete

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 14: Cracking in the gutter

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Fig. 15: Cracking of the gutter paving blocks

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Fig. 16: Common compaction method used for edge-support concrete

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 17: Displacement of surrounds

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Fig. 18: Scaling of the cementitious jointing material above the joint liners

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 19: Damage to edges of gutter paving stones owing to installation with exceedingly narrow joints

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 20: Damage to edges of gutter paving stones owing to the mortar filling of the joint

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 21: Cracks in the paving blocks of a gutter

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Fig. 22: Scaling of the jointing material

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Fig. 23: Mortar filling method in the case of insufficient joint width

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Fig. 24: Jointing mortar of a substandard quality

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Fig. 25: Repaired cracks and their visibility

Figure: MPVA Neuwied

Gutters are components whose construction requires both designers and contractors to possess the necessary expertise and many years of experience. This article is the second of a series of two contributions setting out to describe the most significant errors and shortcomings in the design and construction of paved concrete gutters in order to minimize them.

2.1.3 Concrete pouring and dislocation of paving blocks

In addition to the inappropriate on-site storage of the concrete, the concrete is usually not compacted to a sufficient extent after placement. Compaction usually takes place by “tamping with the workers’ boots” (see boot prints in the Part 1 right picture of Fig. 11). This procedure results in a superficially dehydrated, insufficiently compacted concrete of dry consistency as the base of the gutter (see Fig. 13). Yet the story does not end at this point: To drive down costs even further, no bonding agent is applied to establish at least a...