Pavement Types
Hard surfaced pavements are typically categorized into flexible and rigid pavements:
Flexible pavements. Those which are surfaced with bituminous (or asphalt) materials. These types of pavements are called "flexible" since the total pavement structure "bends" or "deflects" due to traffic loads. A flexible pavement structure is generally composed of several layers of materials which can accommodate this "flexing". Flexible pavements comprise about 94 percent of U.S. paved roads (about 98 percent of Hawai'i roads).
Rigid pavements. Those which are surfaced with portland cement concrete (PCC). These types of pavements are called "rigid" because they are substantially stiffer than flexible pavements due to PCC's high stiffness. Rigid pavements comprise 6 percent of U.S. paved roads (about 2 percent of Hawai'i roads).