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Large format pavers (ie typically 300 mm x 300 mm and greater in plan) or 'flags' have long been accepted worldwide as one of the most attractive and durable methods of pavement surfacing. Concrete flags first came into common use about 110 years ago in the UK, when they started to replace traditional stone flags, used at that time for surfacing prestigious pedestrian areas in urban footways. They rapidly gained in popularity because they were cheaper in both cost and construction - the latter savings resulting mainly from the dimensional accuracy of the concrete flags. In many countries, especially in Europe, such surfaces are now commonplace. In Australia the high costs of manufacturing flag pavers by traditional wet-cast methods meant that the use of flags was limited. However, with the introduction during the past decade of modern, versatile paver manufacturing plants, flags have become economically competitive with other forms of paving and have been rediscovered by landscape architects and specifiers. Concrete flags began to be used in major projects around Australia during the mid 1990s. At that time there was no industry or national code of practice for the specification, design and detailing of flag pavements. The need for structural design recommendations was soon demonstrated when problems were encountered where the pavements carried vehicular traffic and a number of the pavements failed in service. Often the problem was due to a failure to properly anticipate the volumes and type of traffic to be carried. It therefore became clear that design and construction recommendations for flags carrying traffic were required.
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