Skip to content 
Heavy-Duty Concrete Surfacing and Industrial Rigid Pavements
When 70-tonne reach-stackers, container stacks, and constant HGV traffic make asphalt uneconomic, concrete delivers 20-30 year design lives with minimal intervention.
Industrial pavements fail because they're engineered like roads
Your yard handles container stacks. Reach-stackers turning tight circles. 44-tonne artics braking hard at loading bays. Static loads that would crush a car park.
Standard asphalt can’t handle it. You get rutting within three years. Patching becomes a monthly ritual. Downtime costs more than the surface.
The problem isn’t the material—it’s the spec. Heavy-duty asphalt works brilliantly for roads. But when you’re stacking containers four-high or parking loaded trailers for weeks, you need concrete.
Get surfaces designed for extreme industrial loads
Concrete slabs thick enough for the actual loading. Foundations engineered from CBR tests, not guesswork. Joint layouts that control cracking instead of causing it.
We deliver this throughout the South West, South Wales, and Thames Valley. Full design to TR66 and Britpave standards, construction with mechanised methods, handover documentation that satisfies adoption authorities and asset managers.
NHSS-accredited. ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 certified. Specialists in the concrete that most surfacing contractors avoid.
What we can deliver for your site...
Why concrete pavements fail—and what it costs you
The engineering failures that destroy industrial slabs
- Inadequate sub-base thickness for actual CBR conditions
- Poor joint design causing uncontrolled cracking and spalling
- Insufficient concrete strength for static loads and chemical exposure
- Delayed saw-cutting allowing random shrinkage cracks
- No dowels at high-traffic joints, leading to faulting and step formation
- Weak or poorly drained foundations causing pumping and void development
- Wrong concrete mix design for freeze-thaw or aggressive environments
The real-world impact...
Properly engineered concrete eliminates most of this
Surfaces that actually match your loads
Engineering from CBR test to handover
We don’t guess. We test the ground, calculate the loads, design to published standards, then build it right.
Designed for your actual traffic:
CBR testing determines foundation thickness. We calculate wheel loads, static loads, impact loads. Then design slab thickness, joint spacing, reinforcement to TR66 and Britpave guidance. Not generic specs.
Foundation that won't fail:
CBGM or hydraulically-bound sub-base designed from test results. Drainage integrated. Adequate depth for soil conditions. The slab is only as good as what's under it.
20-30 years, not seven:
Properly engineered concrete hardstandings outlive asphalt equivalents by 2-3 times. Life-cycle cost studies show 30-40% lower whole-life cost despite similar or slightly higher upfront.
Joints that control cracking:
Dowel bars transfer load between slabs. Correct spacing prevents random cracking. Early saw-cutting controls shrinkage. Sealed against water ingress.
Minimal maintenance:
Joint resealing and occasional panel replacement over decades. Not annual resurfacing cycles. Lower operational disruption, lower total cost of ownership.
Options for rapid construction:
Roller Compacted Concrete lets us place thousands of square metres in days. Mechanised slipform paving for long runs. Laser screeding for high-flatness requirements.
Why industrial operators and developers choose Highways Plus
Concrete pavements aren’t commodity surfacing. They require structural engineering, precise construction, and confidence in long-term performance.
You need a contractor who understands TR66, knows when RCC is appropriate, and can prove compliance to adoption authorities.
What sets us apart
We design to recognised standards, not instinct:
NHSS accreditation and full ISO suite:
NHSS for highway works. ISO 9001 for quality. ISO 14001 for environmental management. ISO 45001 for safety. The compliance shield that main contractors and authorities demand.
Mechanised construction for speed and quality:
Laser Screed for high-flatness logistics yards. Slipform paving for long highway runs. RCC placement with asphalt pavers for rapid large-area works. Modern methods, not hand-pouring.
Adoption and commuted sum expertise:
We understand what authorities require for highway adoption. Our concrete designs meet Section 38/278 standards and reduce commuted sum liabilities compared to high-maintenance alternatives.
Proven in extreme environments:
Port container yards. Waste transfer stations. HGV depots. Silage clamps. Bus stands. We’ve engineered concrete for the UK’s toughest industrial applications.
Complete documentation package:
Mix designs to BS EN 13877 and EN 206. CBR test results. As-built joint layouts. Strength test certificates. Flatness surveys. Everything for handover, adoption, or asset records.
A clear, structured process that keeps your site running
Concrete work requires longer cures than asphalt. But with phased delivery, mechanised methods, and proper planning, disruption is manageable.
What you get...
Phased construction where possible—sections done sequentially, maintaining partial access for critical operations.
Mechanised placement for speed and consistency. Early-strength mixes where rapid return-to-traffic matters.
Timelines: 7-14 days for typical industrial yard sections (2,000-4,000 sqm), 3-7 days for RCC large-area works, 14-28 days for complex port or highway schemes with traffic management.
Site investigation and design:
CBR testing, ground assessment, load calculations. Detailed design to TR66/Britpave/BS EN 13877. Joint layout, mix specification, foundation thickness. Written proposal with fixed fees.
Enabling works and foundation:
Excavation, drainage installation, sub-base or CBGM placement. Compaction and density testing. Foundation inspected and verified before concrete placement.
Concrete placement and finishing:
Mechanised or formed-bay construction. Correct compaction and finishing to specified texture. Curing compound applied. Temperature and timing controlled for quality.
Joint cutting and sealing:
Timely saw-cutting (typically within 24 hours). Dowel installation where specified. Joint cleaning and sealing once concrete gains strength.
QA testing and handover:
Strength tests, thickness checks, flatness surveys where required. Drainage falls verified. As-built documentation, test certificates, maintenance guidance provided.
Distribution centre HGV yard, Somerset
The Challenge:
4,200 sqm yard serving a major distribution centre. Existing heavy-duty asphalt had failed after just six years—severe rutting at dock approaches, cracking across circulation routes, standing water from settlement.
Operator facing constant patching, restricted loading capacity, tenant complaints. Previous contractor had specified 150mm asphalt over Type 1—adequate for cars, hopeless for continuous 44-tonne traffic and loaded trailer parking.
Client needed 20+ year solution but couldn’t afford extended closure affecting distribution operations.
Our Solution:
CBR testing revealed weak subgrade (CBR 3%). Designed 220mm jointed plain concrete pavement on 250mm CBGM foundation to Britpave guidance.
Phased delivery over three weeks. Two zones at a time, 60% yard availability maintained throughout. Enhanced foundation with proper drainage integration.
Dowelled contraction joints at 5m spacing. C32/40 concrete with brushed finish for traction. Mechanised placement for consistency.
Professional traffic management and daily coordination with logistics operations team.
The Outcome:
- Delivered in 21 days (24-day programme)—three days early
- Zero operational shutdowns—partial access maintained throughout
- Surface now rated for full HGV traffic with 25-30 year design life versus six-year asphalt failure Drainage eliminated pooling completely
- £126,000 for 4,200 sqm (£30/sqm) versus £105,000 for asphalt replacement every 6-8 years—ROI positive by year 12, massive savings over 25 years
- Client reports zero maintenance interventions 18 months post-completion
Proven delivery of heavy-duty concrete surfacing across diverse sectors
Different industries, different loading patterns. Same requirement for surfaces engineered to last without constant intervention.
Sectors that rely on us:
Ports and intermodal terminals:
Container stacking yards, reefer areas, crane pads, tug routes. Extreme wheel loads (70-90 tonne reach-stackers), salt exposure, 24/7 operations. Concrete designed for decades, not years.
Logistics and distribution centres:
HGV yards, loading dock approaches, trailer parking, circulation routes. Heavy braking zones reinforced. Tight turning radii accommodated. Phased delivery maintaining operations.
Industrial and manufacturing estates:
Service yards, raw material storage, heavy plant routes. Chemical and fuel resistance. Static loads from coil storage, tanks, machinery. Designed for operational reality.
Waste, recycling, and utilities:
Transfer station tipping floors, tracked plant areas, sludge lagoons, substation yards. Aggressive liquids and extreme impact. Concrete mixes specified for chemical resistance and durability.
Public transport and highway infrastructure:
Bus depot stands and aprons, park-and-ride hardstandings, highway junction upgrades. Whole-life cost advantage for authorities. Adoption-ready designs reducing commuted sums.
Agricultural estates:
Silage clamps, dairy yards, grain storage areas, tanker loading aprons. Resistance to slurry acids and heavy seasonal machinery. SuDS-compliant runoff management.
When should we choose concrete over heavy-duty asphalt?
Concrete makes sense for extreme loads (container stacks, static storage, 70+ tonne plant), aggressive environments (fuel spills, acids, chemicals), or where 20-30 year design life is required. If you’re resurfacing heavy-duty asphalt every 7-10 years, concrete often shows better life-cycle cost despite higher upfront.
What standards govern industrial concrete pavements?
UK designs reference TR66 (Concrete Society guidance for external paving), Britpave Concrete Hardstanding Design Handbook, and BS EN 13877 (concrete pavement materials and functional requirements). We also use EN 206 for concrete specification and TR34 principles where high flatness is critical.
How long does concrete pavement construction take?
Typical industrial yard (2,000-4,000 sqm): 7-14 days. Large port or logistics areas with RCC: 3-7 days for placement, plus curing time. Highway schemes with traffic management: 14-28 days depending on phasing. Phased delivery can maintain partial site access during works.
What's the design life of concrete hardstandings?
Properly engineered concrete pavements: 20-30 years with routine joint maintenance. Heavy-duty asphalt under equivalent traffic: 10-15 years before structural overlay required. Multiple life-cycle cost studies show concrete 30-40% cheaper over 25 years despite similar or slightly higher initial cost.
How thick does concrete need to be for HGV traffic?
Depends on CBR (ground strength) and loading. Typical range: 180-250mm concrete slab on 150-300mm CBGM or hydraulically-bound sub-base. We test your ground conditions and calculate thickness—no generic specs. Container stacking or very weak ground may require thicker designs.
What is Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC)?
Zero-slump concrete placed by asphalt paver and compacted by rollers. Very rapid construction—thousands of square metres in days. Achieves high strength (5.5+ MPa flexural) with minimal joints. Excellent for ports, large HGV yards, and industrial estates. Can be used alone or as a base beneath asphalt wearing course.
How do you handle drainage with concrete pavements?
Positive falls designed in (typically 1:80 to 1:60). Gullies positioned outside main wheel paths where possible. Sub-surface drainage integrated during foundation works. For SuDS compliance, we can incorporate permeable edges or attenuation beneath the pavement structure.
Can concrete pavements be repaired without full replacement?
Yes. Individual failed panels can be saw-cut and replaced. Joints can be resealed. Voids can be filled by grouting or slab-jacking. Dowel bars can be retrofitted to improve load transfer. Surface texture can be restored by diamond grinding. Planned maintenance extends life significantly.
What about noise and ride quality on concrete roads?
Modern concrete pavements use textured finishes (brushed, tined, or exposed aggregate) that provide good grip and acceptable noise. National Highways is reconstructing older concrete motorways to modern standards with improved noise characteristics. For yards, noise is rarely a concern—durability matters more.
How does concrete surfacing fit with highway adoption?
Concrete pavements designed to TR66 and BS EN 13877 meet highway authority standards. They often reduce commuted sum liabilities compared to high-maintenance alternatives because proven long life means lower future maintenance burden for the authority. We provide all documentation required for Section 38/278 adoption.
Need to know if concrete is right for your site?
We’ll assess your loading conditions, test your ground, identify the specification required, and provide a written proposal with design basis and fixed-fee pricing.
No obligation. No pressure. Just engineering expertise from specialists who understand when concrete is the answer and when it isn’t.
Call or fill out our form and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.
Our Commercial Surfacing and Civil Engineering Services
Latest surfacing and civil's advice and news
