Are rubber tiles and safety tiles suitable for vehicular traffic?
A surface of rubber granules is suitable for vehicular traffic only when both the tile type and the subbase are designed for it. Within the WARCO range, rubber composite pavers are intended for vehicle traffic. The small double T blocks interlock and are laid like concrete block paving on a structurally adequate base layer. Stable perimeter edging is needed to keep the interlocking surface in place under the forces generated by passing vehicles, turning and manoeuvring.
A car can drive over a surface constructed in this way. For heavier vehicles, suitability depends not only on total weight, but also on axle loads, wheel loads, the frequency of vehicle movements and the manoeuvres involved. The proposed use must therefore be assessed for the particular site. Rubber composite pavers are not intended for regular heavy vehicle traffic, frequent manoeuvring or steering while stationary, since high horizontal forces may force individual blocks to rotate out of the interlock.
Impact-absorbing tiles, by contrast, are designed to cushion falls. Effective shock absorption requires enough elastic deformation, whereas carrying high loads requires a tightly compacted granular structure. The two requirements conflict. Patio tiles, balcony tiles, fitness tiles and click tiles are intended for pedestrian traffic rather than vehicles.
Apparent density and compressive strength are listed in the technical data for the tiles as comparative values. They indicate how a tile responds to static point loads from items such as furniture feet or narrow heels. These figures do not amount to approval for vehicular traffic. Rolling wheels impose varying loads, while braking and steering generate additional shear forces in the surface and the subbase.