Pavements are usually made from textured tiles that have bumps and lumps. The tiles used are called tactile paving or detectable warning surface and are mostly used in stairs, station platforms and footpaths to walk road users. Most of the tactile tiles employed on surfaces are usually brightly coloured. Locations suitable for these tiles include areas that people with visual impairment can access to act as a native guide. Some people also argue that they can serve decorative purposes. Tactile pavements are designed to deliver messages to pedestrians by touch. They are used to indicate safety areas and to warn road users of any hazards ahead.

Types of Tactile Paving Patterns

1. Lozenge Pattern

This type of tactile paving is made of tiles in the shape of a tablet and are even spaces. They aim to warn pedestrians walking towards a street-level rapid change in the walking surface, such as a tram. They should be located 20inches away from the actual edge to enable road users to have enough time to come to a stop and stay safe.

2. Attention Pattern

This pattern is made of tiles truncated in dome shapes arranged in a series. They can be classified into two types of patterns that differ by the way rows have been truncated to ensure they are aligned.

1. Grid Pattern

The truncated domes are arranged in grid patterns in staraight rows and have even spacings. The resulting pattern is in the form of a square grid. They are commonly used along sidewalks in cities. They are used to indicate a dropped curb that gradually changes to a pedestrian walk to the main vehicle’s road.

1. Offset Pattern

Unlike the straight arrangement of truncated domes in a grid pattern, the arrangement of the domes in this pattern is staggered. They warn road users of the presence of large holes and charms in their direction. They are mostly used in train platforms and indicate that they prevent pedestrians from falling through an opening. Therefore, they should be placed 20 inches before the platform edge is reached.

3. Guiding Pattern

This type of pattern is also called a corduroy pattern made of round rod-like lines or bars. They are installed across the path or along the path. Each arrangement passes a different warning to road users. The pattern type that runs across a path is a warning sign that you are approaching a trip hazard or steps. Pedestrians coming across this type of pattern are expected to stop and take caution. When the pattern is arranged along a path, they show a safe route for road users to follow. They help pedestrians identify potential hazards as they follow them.

Conclusion

Tactile patterns are usually installed on a path and have a distinct colour from that of the sidewalk. They are made from strong, durable material that stays intact and with the same colour for a long service time. They are also used as a detectable warning to road users, and each has a different meaning depending on the pattern.