Following are the difference between flexible pavements and rigid pavements such as :
Rigid pavements and Flexible pavements
| Flexible pavement | Rigid pavement |
|---|---|
| The earthen, gravel, water bound macadam and bituminous roads are known as flexible pavement. | Cement concrete roads are known as rigid pavement. |
| Inflexible pavement the top surface takes the shape of the subsurface soil e.g. W.B.M road | The rigid pavement has more stiffness and capacity to bridge over loose soil pockets in the sub-grade e.g. Concrete roads. |
| Due to flexibility, there are ups and downs on W.B.M. roads and bituminous roads WBM. Water bound macadam. | Due to more stiffness and thickness, there are no ups and downs on concrete roads |