Low tortuous permeable concrete pavement material: A new approach to improve physical properties

Abstract

Permeable pavement is an environmentally beneficial material that can ease urban problems and mitigate the effects of climate change, such as flooding, urban heat islands, and groundwater decrease. However, it is susceptible to clogging, has limited strength, and demands frequent maintenance. To overcome these problems, an untraditional fiber-reinforced permeable pavement with a low tortuosity pore structure that has an excellent infiltration rate and strength while being resistant to clogging has been studied in this research. Straight pore channels of various sizes and quantities were introduced into self-compacting concrete to create this permeable pavement. High-strength pervious pavement (HSP) samples with porosity ranging from 3.60 to 8.30% and 0–0.2% fiber content were tested. In all cases, HSP showed high infiltration rate (>1 cm/s), high compressive strength (>27 MPa) and tensile strength (1.5 MPa), low mass loss in potential resistance to degradation by impact and abrasion (>25%). However, it did not clog despite extensive cyclic exposure to flow containing sand, clay, and combined ‘sand & clay’. PP fiber content of 0.1%. The 3.60% porosity was found to be optimum considering all properties, whereas 8.30% porosity gave a higher infiltration rate with compromised properties. This permeable pavement can maintain sufficient porosity and permeability for stormwater infiltration without frequent maintenance. Adding polypropylene fiber reduces compressive strength marginally but increases split tensile strength, degradation and potential resistance. This novel fiber-reinforced HSP has the potential to expand the material's applicability. The results obtained from this research are expected to lead the way for a broader application of HSP in various contexts and initiatives that were not previously considered appropriate. This will eventually enhance the design and implementation of a new generation of flood-resistant infrastructure and significantly improve the ability to mitigate urban floods.