What is Permeable Pavement?
2 Answers
Permeable pavement, also known as permeable concrete pavement, is commonly seen in daily life as leisure walkways, popular greenways, etc. It is also referred to as porous concrete, no-fines concrete, or permeable ground surface. Composition of Permeable Pavement: It is a porous lightweight concrete made by mixing aggregates, cement, and water. It does not contain fine aggregates; instead, coarse aggregates are coated with a thin layer of cement paste, forming a honeycomb structure with uniformly distributed pores. This gives it the characteristics of breathability, water permeability, and lightweight, and it can also be called no-fines concrete. Features of Permeable Pavement: Permeable ground surface has 15%-25% porosity, enabling a water permeability rate of 31-52 liters/meter/hour, far exceeding the drainage rate of the most efficient rainfall under optimal drainage configurations. According to national testing authorities, the load-bearing capacity of permeable ground surface fully meets the C20-C30 concrete standards, surpassing the load-bearing capacity of ordinary permeable bricks. Permeable ground surface offers color optimization schemes, allowing designers to realize unique creative ideas and achieve decorative styles suited to different environments and personalities. This is something that ordinary permeable bricks can hardly achieve.
Last time I had my car repaired, I overheard the master mechanic talking about permeable pavement, which is a special type of road surface that can absorb water. It's like a sponge, full of pores that allow rainwater to seep directly into the ground, preventing puddles and slippery conditions. Nowadays, many urban bike lanes use this material, primarily composed of crushed stone and special cement, with plenty of gaps left in between. Compared to regular cement surfaces, it dries quickly, reducing water splashing when cycling or driving, and can even lower temperatures by two or three degrees in summer. However, laying this type of pavement is more labor-intensive, and maintenance requires using high-pressure air guns to clean out the silt from the pores.
