Although pervious concrete was first used in the nineteenth century, it has only recently begun to increase in popularity. As urban areas expand, the problems associated with runoff management have become more challenging. The focus on the negative environmental effects associated with pavement runoff has also increased. These two issues have spurred the recent interest in pervious concrete pavements.Pervious concrete, however, has deficiencies which limit its application as pavements. These limitations include low compressive strength, flexural strength, clogging, and other durability issues. The overall purpose of this project was to provide tools to evaluate and improve the durability and strength of pervious concrete such that it may be more confidently employed in urban roadways. The specific objectives of this project were to (a) investigate the effect of mixture design on strength of pervious concrete (including the effect of fibers), (b) evaluate effect of clogging materials on coefficient of permeability, (c) and investigate the use of the dynamic pressurization test to evaluate the durability of pervious concrete, (d) develop a simple model for predicting removal of clogging particles from pervious concrete pavement surface pores. This thesis documents the results of the laboratory testing, and presents recommendations for mixture proportioning. In addition, recommendations are provided for optimizing the balance between compressive strength and permeability.

Distributed water conservation provides significant benefits to overall water availability, particularly if adopted at a large scale. Conservation strategies, such as rainwater harvesting, xeriscaping, and permeable pavements are desirable because they conserve water, increase recharge near dwellings, and reduce dangerous stormwater runoff. Though conserving water is an admirable goal, justifying retrofits for water conservation mechanisms to existing structures is difficult because water prices are very low in much of the United States. However, stormwater regulations and the increasing implementation of stormwater utilities by cities enable other avenues of adoption for these practices. This thesis reviews water conservation strategies, examines local and state policies, and presents a “model policy”. The model policy design uses a comparative approach to identify useful incentives and aggregates best management and policy practices from several states to serve as a guide and accelerate implementation. / text

Permeable pavement structures (PPSs) are one of the significant LID systems that have potential positive effect on the ecosystem. Yet, the performance of permeable pavements is still questionable. Further studies on the hydrological performance of the system need to be addressed for better design criteria and maintenance during the operation. The infiltration through the pavement is a crucial parameter that projects the system performance. Several factors affect its deterioration. The entrapment of suspended materials associated with the infiltrated stormwater through the system is one of the major factors that affect its performance. Factors that promote the entrapment of particles were discussed thoroughly through the literature and are explained in this study. Many previous studies were focused on performing experimental work and developing empirical models to study the hydraulic performance of the system. Yet, prediction models on the infiltration deterioration need to be addressed and theoretical analysis needs to be performed in order to determine the empirical coefficients with defined parameters that were introduced in the previous literature. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the pore and particle size distribution and mass loading rate of the suspended materials on the infiltration rate need to be addressed. The study focuses on investigating performance of PPSs with examining the variation effect of pore and particle size distribution on it. A prediction model was made and simulated using Matlab software, in which pore and particle size means and standard deviations are taken as inputs. Further, the variation in these parameters on infiltration is examined. Critical levels, that infiltration decline would reach, were defined based on the introduced mechanisms from the previous literature. Based on the variation of pore and particle size means and standard deviations, these critical levels were studied through the analysis of the obtained results from the simulated model. / Graduate / 2019-12-10

The following document serves as a design guidebook to assist landscape architects, designers, planners, engineers, and architects in the practice of developing land while preserving water quality. This guidebook outlines methods for maximizing permeable surfaces by providing examples of ways to minimize impervious surfaces. / Master of Landscape Architecture

This thesis presents a study on the strength properties of the different pervious pavement systems installed at the Stormwater Management Academy field laboratory at University of Central Florida (UCF), Orlando. The strength tests were performed both in the laboratory and in the field. Laboratory testing was conducted to determine the compressive strength and flexural strength of the various pavement surfaces. Evaluation of field pavement performance was performed by comparing the deflection basins using the Falling Weight Deflectometer test on pervious concrete and porous asphalt with conventional impervious concrete and asphalt pavements of similar layer profile and thickness, respectively. From literature and previous work at the academy, it is evident that pervious pavements should not be used to withstand heavy traffic loading. They are mostly used in low traffic volume areas such as parking lots, driveways, walkways and some sub-divisional roads. This research studied the compressive strength and flexural moduli. Also it investigated the relationship between the compressive strength and void ratio, unit weight and volume by carrying out laboratory testing of different pervious pavements such as pervious concrete, porous asphalt, recycled rubber tires, recycled glass and porous aggregate. Different sizes of cylinders and beams were cast in place molds for these laboratory tests. Furthermore, the in-situ resilient moduli of the twenty four pavement sections in our research driveway were back calculated with Modulus 6.0 (Liu, et al., 2001) computer program. The calculated deflection basins were compared to the results obtained from a well known computer program called KENPAVE (Huang, 2004). The design of the requisite pavement layer thickness design was performed by doing hand calculations using American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) method for flexible and rigid pavements and utilizing a Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) computer software known as FPS 19W (Liu, et al., 2006). The structural number for flexible pavements were calculated and tabulated for two different reliability levels (90% and 95%). Traffic loading was estimated in the absence of actual traffic count measurement devices at the field test site. Based on the laboratory testing, the maximum compressive strength of the cored pervious concrete was about 1730 psi. Backcalculated pervious concrete and porous asphalt moduli values were within the specified range discussed in literature. The in-situ modulus of elasticity range for pervious concrete is found to be 740 - 1350 ksi, for porous asphalt 300 - 1100 ksi, for permeable pavers 45 - 320 ksi, for recycled rubber tire 20 - 230 ksi, recycled glass pavement 850 ksi and porous aggregate 150 ksi. For low volume traffic loading, the minimum layer thickness was calculated for rigid pavements and it is presented in this study. In conclusion, this research summarizes the result of laboratory and field testing performed at the University of Central Florida Stormwater Management Academy Research laboratory to determine the strength related properties of pervious pavement systems.

abstract: Properties of random porous material such as pervious concrete are strongly dependant on its pore structure features. This research deals with the development of an understanding of the relationship between the material structure and the mechanical and functional properties of pervious concretes. The fracture response of pervious concrete specimens proportioned for different porosities, as a function of the pore structure features and fiber volume fraction, is studied. Stereological and morphological methods are used to extract the relevant pore structure features of pervious concretes from planar images. A two-parameter fracture model is used to obtain the fracture toughness (KIC) and critical crack tip opening displacement (CTODc) from load-crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) data of notched beams under three-point bending. The experimental results show that KIC is primarily dependent on the porosity of pervious concretes. For a similar porosity, an increase in pore size results in a reduction in KIC. At similar pore sizes, the effect of fibers on the post-peak response is more prominent in mixtures with a higher porosity, as shown by the residual load capacity, stress-crack extension relationships, and GR curves. These effects are explained using the mean free spacing of pores and pore-to-pore tortuosity in these systems. A sensitivity analysis is employed to quantify the influence of material design parameters on KIC. This research has also focused on studying the relationship between permeability and tortuosity as it pertains to porosity and pore size of pervious concretes. Various ideal geometric shapes were also constructed that had varying pore sizes and porosities. The pervious concretes also had differing pore sizes and porosities. The permeabilities were determined using three different methods; Stokes solver, Lattice Boltzmann method and the Katz-Thompson equation. These values were then compared to the tortuosity values determined using a Matlab code that uses a pore connectivity algorithm. The tortuosity was also determined from the inverse of the conductivity determined from a numerical analysis that was necessary for using the Katz-Thompson equation. These tortuosity values were then compared to the permeabilities. The pervious concretes and ideal geometric shapes showed consistent similarities betbetween their tortuosities and permeabilities. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Civil Engineering 2013

Use of pervious concrete pavement as a method of stormwater management has shown great promise in previous studies. Reduction in runoff, water quality improvements, and long-term economic benefits are but a few of its many advantages. Regulatory agencies such as the St. Johns River Water Management District require further research into the performance of pervious concrete pavement before granting credits for its use as a best management practice in controlling stormwater. As a part of a larger series of studies by UCF's Stormwater Management Academy, this thesis studies the hydrologic mass balance of pervious concrete pavement in sandy soil common in Florida. In order to conduct this study, a field experiment was constructed at the UCF Stormwater Field Lab. The experiment consisted of three 4-foot tall cylindrical polyethylene tanks with 30-inch diameters. All three tanks were placed into the side of a small embankment and fitted with outlet piping and piezometers. The test tanks were assembled by laying a 6-inch layer of gravel into the bottom of each tank, followed by a layer of Mirafi geofabric, followed by several feet of fine sand into which soil moisture probes were laid at varying depths. Two of the tanks were surfaced with 6-inch layers of portland cement pervious concrete, while the third tank was left with a bare sand surface. Mass balance was calculated by measuring moisture influx and storage in the soil mass. Data collection was divided into three phases. The first phase ran from August to November 2005. Moisture input consisted of normal outdoor rainfall that was measured by a nearby rain gauge, and storage was calculated by dividing the soil mass into zones governed by soil moisture probes. The second phase ran for two weeks in March 2006. Moisture input consisted of water manually poured onto the top of each tank in controlled volumes, and storage was calculated by using probe readings to create regression trendlines for soil moisture profiles. The third phase followed the procedure identical to the second phase and was conducted in the middle of April 2006. Data tabulation in this study faced several challenges, such as nonfunctional periods of time or complete malfunction of essential measuring equipment, flaws in the method of calculating storage in phase one of the experiment, and want of more data points to construct regression trendlines for soil moisture calculation in phases two and three of the experiment. However, the data in all phases of the experiment show that evaporation volume of the tanks with pervious concrete surfacing was nearly twice that of the tank with no concrete. Subsequent infiltration experiments showed that pervious concrete pavement is capable of retaining a portion of precipitation volume, reducing infiltration into the underlying soil and increasing total evaporation in the system.

A tecnologia de pavimento em concreto permeável surgiu como potencial solução para problemas relacionados à drenagem urbana provenientes da diminuição da área permeável de uma metrópole. Desta forma, sua utilização vem crescendo cada vez mais, inclusive no Brasil. Para avaliar o comportamento hidráulico de uma calçada em concreto permeável, o Laboratório de Mecânica dos Pavimentos da Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo (LMP-EPUSP) desenvolveu duas misturas para a aplicação em duas calçadas em concreto permeável construídas no Campus da Universidade de São Paulo. A primeira estrutura possui dimensões de 1,00 m x 8,65 m, sem manta permeável, ao passo que a segunda estrutura possui 1,50 m x 84,80 m com sua área dividida em 3 trechos que diferem entre si da seguinte forma: primeiro trecho com manta permeável e infiltração de água no solo; segundo trecho com lona impermeável e sistema de drenagem; e terceiro trecho sem manta e com infiltração de água no solo. Além da análise do comportamento hidráulico da mistura, os métodos construtivos adotados foram avaliados, desde a escolha do local até a cura do concreto. Todas as adequações do método de execução da primeira calçada para a segunda são explícitas e justificadas nesse trabalho, tais como a existência da manta permeável, que na primeira calçada não existia e na segunda surge como uma das soluções para se evitar a colmatação por bombeamento, e detalhes na compactação do revestimento, mantendo uma superfície mais regular. Feita a análise do método construtivo, essa pesquisa também apresenta diversos resultados de taxas de infiltração, em cm/s, in loco obtidos através do ensaio baseado na ASTM C-1701, além de mostrar, através de comparações com diversas referências, o grande potencial hidráulico das misturas desenvolvidas. Esses resultados mostram o comportamento hidráulico das misturas com o tempo. Das informações apresentadas, fica evidente a dependência da escolha do local para um bom comportamento hidráulico a longo prazo, além de explicitar o quão a taxa de infiltração diminui com o tempo em um pavimento construído em ambiente pouco suscetível à colmatação proveniente de árvores e em local muito suscetível. Além disso, o estudo mostra que, apesar de pequenas diferenças nos pavimentos, tais como a infiltração ou não de água no solo, e, no caso contrário, a existência de um sistema de drenagem, o comportamento hidráulico é semelhante. A mesma conclusão é obtida comparando-se os ensaios realizados em bordas e centro do pavimento. Todos os resultados mostrados e conclusões tiradas a partir desses mostram o grande potencial drenante do pavimento de concreto permeável, potencializando com a seleção adequada de materiais, local e método construtivo. / Pervious concrete pavement came as a potential solution to problems related to urban drainage, consequence of the decrease of the permeability area of a metropolis. In this way, its use has been increasing all over the world, including Brazil. In order to evaluate the hydraulic behavior of a permeable concrete sidewalk, the Pavement Mechanics Laboratory of the University of São Paulo developed two mixtures. These mixtures were made for an application on two sidewalks in permeable concrete built in the Campus of the University of São Paulo. The first sidewalk has 1.00 m x 8.65 m, without a geotextile, and the second has 1.50 m x 84.80 m, divided into 3 stretches differing from each other as follows: first section with a geotextile and infiltration of water on soil; Second stretch with waterproof tarpaulin and drainage system; And the third stretch has not a geotextile, but count with the infiltration of water on soil. In addition to the analysis of the hydraulic behavior of the mixture, the constructive methods adopted were evaluated, since the choice of the construction site, until the concrete cure. All adaptations of the method of execution of the first sidewalk to the second one are explicit and justified in this work, such as the existence of the geotextile, that in the first sidewalk did not exist and in the second it appears as one of the solutions to avoid the clogging. Another adaptation was the compaction adopted, which is more regular on the second sidewalk. After the analysis of the constructive method, this research also presents several results of infiltration rates, in cm/s, obtained through the test based on ASTM C-1701, besides showing, through comparisons with several references, the great potential Hydraulic of the mixtures applied. These results show the hydraulic behavior of the mixtures over time. From the information presented, the dependence on the choice of site for a good long-term hydraulic behavior is verified, it is also evidente how much the rate of infiltration decreases with time in a pavement built in a site next to trees and another types of vegetation. In addition, this research shows that the little differences in the methods results in little differences in the infiltration rate, but the hydraulic behavior remains similar. The same conclusion is obtained by comparing the tests performed at the edges and center of the pavement. All presented results and conclusions shows the great potential of the mixtures developed by the LMP-USP, which can be enhanced though the suitable materials selection, construction place and constructive method.

Increased urbanization causes pervious greenfields to be converted to impervious areas increasing stormwater runoff. Most of the urban floods occur because existing drainage systems are unable to handle peak flows during rainfall events. During a storm event, flood runoff will carry contaminants to receiving waters such as rivers and creeks. Engineers and scientists have combined their knowledge to introduce innovative thinking to manage the quality of urban runoff and harvest stormwater for productive purposes. The introduction of pervious pavements addresses all the principles in Water Sensitive Urban Design. A pervious pavement is a load bearing pavement structure that is permeable to water. The pervious layer sits on the top of a reservoir storage layer. Pervious pavements reduce the flood peak as well as improve the quality of stormwater at source before it is transported to receiving waters or reused productively. To be accepted as a viable solution, understanding of the influence of design parameters on the infiltration rate (both from the bedding and the sub-base) as well as strength of the pavement requires to be established. The design of a particular pavement will need to be customized for different properties of sub layer materials present in different sites. In addition, the designs will have to meet local government stormwater discharge standards. The design of drainage systems underneath pervious pavements will need to be based on the permeability of the whole pervious system. The objectives of the research project are to: • Understand the factors influencing infiltration capacities and percolation rates through the pervious surface as well as the whole pavement structure including the bedding and the sub-base using a laboratory experimental setup. • Obtain relationships between rainfall intensity, infiltration rate and runoff quantity based on the sub-grade material using a computational model to assist the design of pervious pavements. A laboratory scale pavement was constructed to develop relationships between the surface runoff and the infiltration volume from a pervious pavement with an Eco-Pavement surface. 2 to 5mm crushed gravel and 5 to 20mm open graded gravel were chosen as the bedding and sub-base material. Initial tests such as dry and wet density, crushing values, hydraulic conductivity, California Bearing Ratio tests for aggregate material were conducted before designing and constructing the pavement model. A rainfall simulator with evenly spaced 24 sprays was set up above the pervious pavement surface. The thesis presents design aspects of the laboratory scale pavement and the tests carried out in designing the pavement and the experimental procedure. The Green and Ampt model parameters to calculate infiltration were obtained from the laboratory test results from aggregate properties. Runoff results obtained from rainfall simulator tests were compared with the Green and Ampt infiltration model results to demonstrate that the Green and Ampt parameters could be successfully calculated from aggregate properties. The final infiltration rate and the cumulative infiltration volume of water were independent of the rainfall intensity once the surface is saturated. The model parameters were shown to be insensitive to the final infiltration capacity and to the total amount of infiltrated water. The Green and Ampt infiltration parameters are the most important parameters in designing pervious pavements using the PCSWMMPP model. The PCSWMMPP model is a Canadian model built specially for designing pervious pavements. This is independent of the type of sub-grade (sand or clay) determining whether the water is diverted to the urban drainage system (clay sub-grade) or deep percolation into the groundwater system (sand sub-grade). The percolation parameter in Darcy's law is important only if the infiltrated water recharges the groundwater. However, this parameter is also insensitive to the final discharge through the subgrade to the groundwater. The study concludes by presenting the design characteristics influencing runoff from a pervious pavement depending on the rainfall intensity, pavement structure and sub-grade material and a step-by step actions to follow in the design.

Mature trees help to offset urban area problems caused by impervious pavement. Trees in paved areas remain unhealthy due to a poor root zone environment. The objective of this experiment was to test if soil under pervious concrete, with greater water and gas infiltration, would be more beneficial to existing mature trees during urban development. Root activity, root growth and soil chemistry of American sweetgum under standard concrete, pervious concrete and no concrete were measured. Soil CO2 efflux rates and soil CO2 concentrations were extremely high under both concrete treatments. Soil under standard concrete had lower oxygen concentrations than soil under pervious concrete and control treatments, particularly under wet conditions. There was no pavement effect on soil water content or soil chemistry. Under control treatment standing live root length was greater than under both concrete treatments. There were no major differences in soil conditions between impervious and pervious concrete treatments. The soil under the plots, a Ships clay, with very low permeability may have prevented soil water infiltration. Likely this overrode any potential treatment effects due to porosity of the concrete. To obtain root zone benefits out of pervious concrete, a different base soil with a higher permeability would be a better alternative.