Pavement Engineering
GCE's RAQS-certified engineers deliver pavement design, consulting, and forensic evaluation across Canada. We apply advanced technology and decades of field experience to keep roads performing longer.
Delivering the full range of pavement design
Our pavement engineers handle every phase of the discipline, from initial flexible and rigid pavement design through cold-in-place recycling (CIR), sustainable preservation, and 3D paving and milling. When roads underperform, we apply forensic evaluation and advanced Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) performance testing to find out why and fix it.
What Each Service Entails
Flexible pavements use layered asphalt to distribute traffic loads. Our engineers use mechanistic-empirical models to calculate how each layer flexes under load, protecting the subgrade from failure.
Rigid pavements use concrete slabs that act as structural bridges, spreading loads across a wide area. Design focuses on slab thickness and joint reinforcement to maintain long-term structural integrity.
Cold-in-place recycling (CIR) mills existing asphalt, mixes it with a stabilizer, and re-lays it on-site without heat. This process eliminates material transport, cuts costs, and significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to conventional repaving.
Applying low-cost treatments, like seals and thin overlays, early in a road's service life prevents major damage before it starts. The result is a longer-performing road surface and lower long-term resource consumption.
Using GPS and digital terrain models, 3D systems automate paving and milling machinery in real time. The result: superior surface smoothness, precise material thickness, and no manual string lines required.
When roads fail early, we find out why. Using tools like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), our engineers identify the root cause, whether that's poor drainage, material defects, or structural overloading, and chart a path forward.
We stress-test asphalt mixes in controlled lab conditions to predict real-world durability. Tests simulate heavy traffic and extreme weather to confirm the mix won't rut or crack under the specific conditions of your project.