Hydraulic Characterization of Interlocking Concrete Permeable Pavement
Abstract
The environmental benefits of permeable pavements are vast and include stormwater
quantity reduction, stormwater quality improvement, urban heat island mitigation, and
groundwater recharge, among others. Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements, PICP
explicitly infiltrate water, a new concept to engineering practice for pavements. This
technology as a load-carrying surface has not yet been fully characterized nor has the decades
of design and performance experience of conventional pavements.
This research project developed a hydraulic design methodology for PICPs. Test
sections were evaluated in a two layer hydraulic flume to determine horizontal infiltration
rates, and overflow rates for various block spacing, patterns, and across a broad range of
pavement cross slopes. Results demonstrated the infiltration rate of the PICPs exposed to
horizontal sheet flow was significantly lower than the measured vertical infiltration rate
which is currently used in field verification. The results also showed that the infiltration rates
are inversely related to the cross slope of the pavement. Additional research included
permeable concrete pavement as an alternative sub-base and clogging tests which included
the creation of synthetic stormwater for PICP was completed and analyzed.
Table of Contents
Literature review -- Experimental design -- Results and discussion unclogged testing -- Statistical analysis of unclogged results -- Results and discussion clogged -- Results and discussion platform testing -- Conclusion and future research -- Appendix
Degree
M.S.