Developing A Framework for Low-Volume Road Implementation of Pervious Concrete Pavements

Pervious concrete pavement is one of the promising pavement technologies, as it can help overcome traditional pavement environmental impacts, assist with stormwater management, and provide an effective low impact development solution. There are many benefits associated with pervious concrete pavement such as assisting with water filtration, absorbing heavy metals and reducing pollution. The most significant aspect, which draws the attention of environmental agencies and cities and municipalities, is its ability to reduce storm water runoff. Pervious concrete is documented as the paramount solution in storm water management by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Though it has been used in the southern United States for years, the practice of using pervious concrete is more recent in northern climates where freeze thaw is observed. In Canada, several pervious concrete parking lots have been constructed over the past few years. However barriers exist for implementing the technology, as designers are not always fully informed on the various functional and structural design considerations. In this paper, a framework is developed to identify how pervious concrete can be integrated into low-volume infrastructure. This paper also summarizes the structural performance and drainage characteristics of pervious concrete parking lots constructed in various provinces of Canada, demonstrating the viability of pervious concrete for low-volume northern applications.