paved

Paved is an adjective and the past participle of pave, meaning covered with a hard, smooth surface designed for travel or use. A paved surface is typically intended to support vehicle and pedestrian traffic and provide a durable, weather-resistant layer over natural ground. Common paved areas include roads, sidewalks, plazas, parking lots, and driveways.

It derives from pave, from the French pavé, ultimately from Latin pavimentum, meaning a floor or pavement.

Materials used for paving include asphalt concrete, Portland cement concrete, interlocking concrete pavers, bricks, and natural stone. Most paved surfaces have a layered structure: a compacted subgrade, a stabilized subbase, and a surface layer. Construction typically begins with site preparation, grading, and drainage, followed by base installation, compaction, and surfacing. Methods vary by material: asphalt is laid hot and rolled, concrete is poured and cured, and pavers are set in sand or mortar.

Historically, paving dates to ancient civilizations that laid stone on streets. Roman and medieval cities used cobblestones and setts; in the 18th and 19th centuries macadam and other stabilized methods improved traffic flow. The 20th century saw widespread asphalt and concrete road construction, along with standardized paving and maintenance practices.

Maintenance includes crack sealing, pothole repair, resurfacing, and periodic drainage management. Paved surfaces can affect urban microclimates, heat retention, and stormwater runoff, depending on permeability and material choice. Proper design and maintenance extend pavement life and improve safety and accessibility.