road surface

[roʊd ˈsɜːrfɪs]
nounpl: road surfaces
pavimento da estrada
1. the top layer or wearing course of a road that vehicles travel on directly
The road surface was damaged by the heavy truck traffic.
O pavimento da estrada foi danificado pelo intenso tráfego de caminhões.
2. the material composition and condition of a roadway (asphalt, concrete, gravel, etc.)
This highway has an excellent asphalt road surface.
Esta rodovia tem um excelente pavimento de asfalto.
3. the texture and grip characteristics of a road for vehicle traction
The wet road surface reduced tire grip significantly.
O pavimento molhado reduziu significativamente a aderência dos pneus.
In Brazil, road surface conditions are a significant concern due to tropical weather and heavy vehicle usage. The term 'pavimento' is commonly discussed in news reports about road maintenance and infrastructure. Poor road surfaces ('pavimento ruim') are frequently cited as a public safety issue and topic of political debate regarding government infrastructure investment.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
pavementroad bedwearing courseasphaltpavement layer
Antonyms / Antônimos
subgradebase layerfoundation

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
pavimento da estrada
standard term used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
pavimento
often shortened to just pavimento in casual speech
São Paulo
pavimentação
sometimes used to refer to the road surface or paving process
Portugal
camada de desgaste
technical term preferred in Portugal; also 'pavimento da estrada'

Related Words

potholeasphaltconcretetractionadhesionfrictionresurfacingroad maintenance

Related Idioms & Phrases

rough road surface
smooth road surface
deteriorating road surface
potholes in the road surface
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