ABSTRACT
Soils that must support pavement are often too dense for root growth. It is important to understand how pavement is generally designed as a multiple-layer system, occasionally referenced as a 'pavement section design'. To be successful in integrating pavement and vegetation, pavement surfaces must have structural systems in place for support, which could be a physical structure, or a plan for load-bearing root zone soil. For this discussion, the responses will be divided into two generalized approaches centered on either soil design or structural isolation of function such as with structural grids or conduits. Systems used to integrate pavement and tree root zone capacity need to estimate the volume of soil needed for tree growth with consideration of the intensity and budget for tree culture and care. In general, the more soil provided, the lower the management intensity needed for water and mineral nutrition; to a logical threshold of diminishing return for added soil volume.
