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Evaluation of the Infiltration Capacity of a Permeable Paving Block for

Urban Flood Disaster Reduction

Dojoon Jung1 and Yuntae Kim2

1
Researcher, Ph.D., Flood Disaster Team, National Disaster Management Institute,
135 Mapo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-719, Korea /Phone: (82-2) 2078-7802 /Fax: (82-2)
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2078-7849 /Email: fasv96@korea.kr

2
Senior researcher, Ph.D., Flood Disaster Team,National Disaster Management
Institute, 135 Mapo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-719, Korea /Phone: (82-2) 2078-7840
/Fax: (82-2) 2078-7849 /Email: prooni@korea.kr

ABSTRACT

The increase of impermeable areas in urban development projects results in a

decreased concentration time, the rise of the peak runoff, and the deterioration of the
ability of rainfall infiltration. This study performed experiments on a permeable
paving block to develop countermeasures for urban inundation. The permeable
paving block has a cooling effect on heat islands in urban areas and it can be
constructed in a short period. The experiments were performed under rainfall
intensities of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr. The runoffs of the permeable and
impermeable paving blocks were measured, and their ultimate infiltration capacities
were compared and analyzed. The experiment results showed that the infiltration
capacity of the permeable paving block was maintained. These results indicate that
the permeable paving block can be used as a distributed detention facility to counter
urban inundation. The experiment results were compared with the simulation results
with the FEMWATER model to evaluate the NRCS Curve Number for each
permeable paving block that has a different hydraulic permeability. Based on the
evaluation results, this study presents the design criteria for permeable paving blocks
in South Korea.

1. Introduction

Recently, the change of land use and the increase of impermeable area become
the main reason for the increase of disaster damage. However, the standards of
disaster reduction facilities are insufficient. This causes difficulty implementing
practical application because the quantitative flood control analysis cannot move
ahead. In Korea and Japan, the importance of rainfall infiltration facility is increasing
and the development, production, and construction of permeable paving block are
also increasing. This study performed the experiments of permeable paving block
under various rainfall intensities. It compared and analyzed the experimental results

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with the results of GMS version 6.5-FEMWATER computational simulation. Based

on the results, this paper presents 11 NRCS Curve Numbers of permeable paving
block by different coefficients of permeability to enable the calculation of the NRCS
effective rainfall before planning for the development projects.

2. Hydraulic Experiment
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The hydraulic experiment facility is composed of 4m×5m concrete box. Two

kinds of permeable paving blocks (A and B) were used in hydraulic experiments.
Permeable paving blocks were constructed on the left side of the experiment facility,
while the normal paving blocks were installed on the right side. After finishing the
normal paving block experiments, permeable paving block B was constructed.
Figures1, 2, and 3 show the normal and permeable paving blocks of A and B.

The superstructure of the experiment facility includes the artificial rainfall

simulator. After the rainfall from artificial rainfall simulator falls on the paving
blocks, the runoff (except the amount of infiltration) moves through the center
channel and leaves the weir. The rainfall intensities generated by the artificial rainfall
simulator for hydraulic experiments are 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr.

Figure 1. Experiment facility of Figure 2. Experiment facility of Figure 3. Experiment facility of

permeable paving block A permeable paving block B normal paving block

Table 1 presents the normal paving block with the physical characteristics of
permeable paving blocks A and B. The bending strength of permeable paving block
A is 3.9 N/mm2 with a permeability coefficient of 0.587 cm/sec. The permeability
coefficient of permeable paving block B is 0.026 cm/sec, 22.6 times less than the
value of permeable paving block A. The coefficient of permeability of sand filled in
substructure of experiment facility is 0.016×10-2cm/sec. Permeable seat is installed
on each layer to prevent the mixing of materials in substructure.

Table 1. Physical characteristics of normal, permeable paving blocks, and soil stratum
Bending Optimum
Permeability Maximum dry
strength moisture content
(cm/sec) density (g/cm3)
(N/mm2) (%)
Permeable paving block A 0.587 3.9 - -
Permeable paving block B 0.026 4.1 - -
Sand 0.01 -
Soil 0.00047 - 1.892 10.3

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3. Hydraulic Experiments

3.1 Hydraulic Experiments of Normal and Permeable Paving Blocks

The results of hydraulic experiments include the amount of infiltration, runoff,

beginning time of runoff, and ultimate infiltration capacity. Based on the results, the
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characteristics of infiltration and the amount of runoff reduction in permeable paving

blocks are quantitatively evaluated. The runoff, excluding the amount of infiltration,
is measured at the weir until the equilibrium condition between the occurrence of
infiltration and runoff. Figure 4 represents the infiltration capacity(mm/hr) for
different rainfall intensities of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr. Graphs show the
decrease in ultimate infiltration capacity, as rainfall intensity increased in both cases
of permeable and normal paving blocks.

Figure 4. Block's final infiltration ratio according to rainfall intensity

Table 2. Hydraulic experiment results

Runoff Infiltration Final
Rainfall Total Total Total
Duration initiation before infiltration
intensity Basin inflow runoff infiltration
(min) time runoff capacity
(mm/hr) (ℓ) (ℓ) (ℓ)
(min) (ℓ) (mm/hr)
Permeable 1,500 20.0 300.1 122.8 1,377.8 41.9
50 100
General 1,810 7.5 135.7 564.0 1,245.8 27.7
Permeable 2,562 10.0 320.2 1,116.6 1,445.2 39.0
100 80
General 2,647 5.0 165.5 1,290.8 1,354.4 35.7
Permeable 3,406 6.0 291.9 1,912.9 1,492.6 39.9
150 70
General 3,360 3.5 168.0 1,916.0 1,444.2 38.7
Permeable 3,253 6.0 390.4 1,817.6 1,435.5 47.6
200 50
General 3,211 2.5 160.5 1,949.1 1,261.8 46.4

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Table 2 shows the hydraulic experiment results. In the case of rainfall intensity of
50 mm/hr, the ultimate infiltration capacity is largest at 41.9 and 27.7 mm/hr for
permeable and normal paving blocks. The difference of ultimate infiltration capacity
is 14.2 mm/hr. The beginning time of runoff is 20 minutes in permeable paving block
and 7.5 minutes in normal paving block.
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Figure 5 represents the difference of ultimate infiltration capacity between

permeable and normal paving blocks. The ultimate infiltration capacity in the rainfall
intensity of 100 mm/hr is reduced more than 50% of the ultimate infiltration capacity
in 50 mm/hr rainfall intensity. Figure 6 represents the infiltration volume before
runoff. As shown in Figure 6, even though the ultimate infiltration capacity and the
beginning time of runoff decreased as rainfall intensity increased, the infiltration
volume before runoff is maintained over 300ℓ.

Figure 5. Ultimate infiltration capacities in different rainfall intensities

Figure 6. Infiltration volume before runoff according to rainfall intensity

3.2 Antecedent Moisture Condition-I (AMC-I) and Antecedent Moisture

Condition-III (AMC-III)

The infiltration capacity and runoff depend on the condition of moisture content
in the basin. If the antecedent moisture content in the basin is large, the runoff

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increased because the loss of infiltration volume decreased. The hydraulic

experiment is performed to determine the antecedent moisture content. AMC-I is
considered as non-antecedent moisture condition, while AMC-III reflects that there
was antecedent precipitation. AMC-III is made by simulating artificial rainfall within
five hours before the experiment started. The results of hydraulic experiments with
AMC-I and AMC-III are shown in Figure 7 and Table 3.
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Figure 7. Final infiltration capacity with AMC-I and AMC-III

Ultimate infiltration capacities under AMC-I in all cases of hydraulic

experiments are larger than those under AMC-III. In the case of rainfall intensity of
50 mm/hr, the ultimate infiltration capacity under AMC-III is 41.9 mm/hr and 42.1
mm/hr under AMC-I.

Table 3. Hydraulic modeling test results according to antecedent precipitation

Runoff Infiltration Ultimate
Rainfall Antecedent Total Total Total
Duration initiation before infiltration
intensity moisture inflow runoff infiltration
(min) time runoff capacity
(mm/hr) condition (ℓ) (ℓ) (ℓ)
(min) (ℓ) (mm/hr)
O 100 1,501 20.0 300 123 1,378 41.9
50
X 110 1,694 42.0 647 90 1,604 42.1
O 80 2,562 10.0 320 1,117 1,445 39.0
100
X 88 2,786 15.5 491 993 1,793 43.6
O 70 3,406 6.0 292 1,913 1,493 39.9
150
X 80 4,000 10.0 500 1,939 2,061 47.4
O 50 3,253 6.0 390 1,817 1,436 47.6
200
X 44 2,933 7.0 467 1,420 1,513 47.4

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3.3 Hydraulic Experiments by different permeability coefficients

Hydraulic experiments for permeable paving blocks A and B are performed.

Figure 8 presents the calculated ultimate infiltration capacities with various rainfall
intensities. The ultimate infiltration capacity of block A is 41.8, 39.2, 40.1, and 46.1
mm/hr with rainfall intensities of each 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr. The ultimate
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infiltration capacity of block B with 50 mm/hr rainfall intensity is 17.7 mm/hr and
the difference between blocks A and B is largest. Previously presented, the increase
of ultimate infiltration capacity with over 100 mm/hr is small. However, the peak
discharge could be reduced by initial infiltration volume throughout permeable
paving block.

Figure8. Block's final infiltration ratio according to coefficient of permeability

4. GMS version 6.5-FEMWATER Simulation

4.1 Boundary condition and parameter

GMS version 6.5-FEMWATER computational simulation is performed to

analyze infiltration volume with various permeability coefficients of paving blocks.
Feature objects including points, arcs, nodes, and polygon are created to reproduce
similar characteristics of permeable paving block in hydraulic experiment.

Coverage is made from feature object and permeability coefficients of paving

block and soil stratum in substructure are applied to a 3D-mesh. Boundary conditions

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of flow are the same as rainfall intensities of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr in
hydraulic experiments. Tables 4 and 5 present the flux boundary condition and
coefficients of permeability.

Table 4. Coefficients of permeability in soil stratum of simulation

k k
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Material
(cm/sec) (cm/day)
Permeable Block 0.587 5.072×104
Sand 0.016 1.382×103
Crushed Stone 2.360 2.039×105
Ground 4.70×10-4 4.061×101

Table 5. Flux boundary condition

Flux Flux
Runoff
(m3/sec) (m3/day))
50mm/hr 1.3888×10-5 1.1999
100mm/hr 2.7777×10-5 2.3999
-5
100mm/hr 4.1666×10 3.5999
-5
100mm/hr 5.5555×10 4.7999

Simulation area is composed by 5m×5m×1.29m, while the total numbers of node

points and elements are 6,480 and 5,474, respectively. Figures 9 and 10 show the
cross section and 3D-mesh for computational simulation.

Figure 9. A cross section. Figure 10. 3D-mesh generation.

4.2 Infiltration volume by different rainfall intensities

The results of computational simulation show that the velocity of infiltration

water is high in a crushed stone section but low in ground section because of the
small value of permeability coefficient.

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The distribution of hydraulic head and flow velocity is rapidly changed in

intersection. Between a crushed stone and the ground sections, the infiltration
volume and rising time of water to permeable paving block decreased as rainfall
intensity increased.

The results of infiltration volume in hydraulic experiment and computational

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simulation show similar patterns. A maximum relative error of infiltration volume is

calculated as 0.5, 2, 0.41, and 0.67 at 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm/hr rainfall intensities,
respectively.

Figure11. Comparison of rainfall intensity (50mm/hr–200mm/hr)

The verification of GMS-FEMWATER model is performed by a simple

regression analysis for the results between hydraulic experiment and computational
simulation. Determination coefficients are calculated statistically and are presented
in Table 6.

Table 6. Statistical indicators

Rainfall intensity Determination coefficient
(mm/hr) (R2)
50 0.964
100 0.996
150 0.976
200 0.958

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4.3 Evaluation of NRCS Curve Number by hydraulic experiment results

The NRCS curve numbers are evaluated to provide quantitative criteria for
assessing the impacts of constructing the disaster reduction facility. Table 7 presents
the calculated NRCS Curve Number by experimental results. In the case of
permeable paving block A, CN-I is 64 and CN-III is 67. The value of CN-II is
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accepted as an intermediate value between CN-I and CN-III. The results show NRCS
curve number is increased as rainfall intensity is increased. This means runoff rate is
enlarged in high rainfall intensity.

The NRCS curve number of permeable paving block B under AMC-I is 74 and
81 under AMC-III. Likewise, in the case of permeable paving block A, CN-II of
permeable paving block B is selected as an intermediate value.

Table 7. NRCS Curve Number by hydraulic experiment results

Block type CN-Ⅰ CN-Ⅱ CN-Ⅲ
Permeable block A (k=0.587cm/sec) 60 64 67
Permeable block B (k=0.026m/sec) 74 78 81
General block 68 70 72

4.4 Evaluation of the NRCS Curve Number by computational simulation

The NRCS curve numbers are calculated by computational simulation results, as

shown in Table 8. The NRCS curve number of permeability coefficient of 0.587
cm/sec decreased, approximately 10% of the curve number with 0.026 cm/sec
permeability coefficient. As rainfall intensity increased, the change of NRCS Curve
Number results is small.

Table 8. CN Calculation according to coefficient of permeability

k I Duration Precipitation, P Runoff, Q S
P/S CN
(cm/sec) (mm/hr) (min) (mm) (mm) (mm)
200 50 166.67 95.62 84.72 1.97 74.99
150 70 175.00 96.32 96.15 1.82 72.54
0.587 100 80 133.30 60.50 99.28 1.34 71.90
50 100 83.30 15.46 141.13 0.59 64.28
CN 70.93
200 50 166.67 95.72 84.55 1.97 75.03
150 70 175.00 96.45 95.91 1.82 72.59
0.528 100 80 133.30 60.81 98.58 1.35 72.04
50 100 83.30 16.14 137.35 0.61 64.90
CN 71.14

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200 50 166.67 95.84 84.34 1.98 75.07

150 70 175.00 96.79 95.30 1.84 72.72
0.470 100 80 133.30 61.19 97.72 1.36 72.22
50 100 83.30 16.82 133.69 0.62 65.52
CN 71.38
200 50 166.67 96.21 83.71 1.99 75.21
150 70 175.00 97.19 94.58 1.85 72.87
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0.352 100 80 133.30 62.01 95.90 1.39 72.59

50 100 83.30 18.28 126.27 0.66 66.79
CN 71.87
200 50 166.67 96.93 82.49 2.02 75.49
150 70 175.00 97.83 93.44 1.87 73.11
0.236 100 80 133.30 63.16 93.39 1.43 73.12
50 100 83.30 20.09 117.87 0.71 68.30
CN 72.50
200 50 166.67 97.66 81.26 2.05 75.76
150 70 175.00 98.48 92.29 1.90 73.35
0.176 100 80 133.30 65.62 88.21 1.51 74.22
50 100 83.30 21.70 110.99 0.75 69.59
CN 73.23
200 50 166.67 99.07 78.92 2.11 76.30
150 70 175.00 99.75 90.08 1.94 73.82
0.117 100 80 133.30 68.49 82.43 1.62 75.50
50 100 83.30 24.28 100.94 0.83 71.56
CN 74.29
200 50 166.67 102.91 72.74 2.29 77.74
150 70 175.00 103.27 84.10 2.08 75.12
0.059 100 80 133.30 71.86 76.01 1.75 76.97
50 100 83.30 27.78 88.98 0.94 74.06
CN 75.97
200 50 166.67 111.09 60.50 2.75 80.76
150 70 175.00 111.13 71.63 2.44 78.00
0.026 100 80 133.30 76.64 67.48 1.98 79.01
50 100 83.30 31.93 76.71 1.09 76.81
CN 78.64

5. Conclusion

This study presents the quantitative criteria of disaster reduction facility by

analyzing the flood control effect of permeable paving block. Ultimate infiltration
capacities are compared and analyzed between permeable and normal paving blocks
by hydraulic experiment. The results represent the ultimate infiltration capacity,
while the beginning time of runoff decreased greatly as rainfall intensity increased.
However, regardless of rainfall intensity, the infiltration volume has been continuous
until the runoff occurred. Therefore, the results show that the permeable paving
block is expected to hold the runoff at an early stage of the flood. Experiment results
were compared with the simulation results based on the FEMWATER model and

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evaluated the NRCS Curve Number for each permeable paving block with a different
hydraulic permeability. Based on the evaluation results, this study presents the
quantitative standards for planning the construction facility for rainfall reduction.

References
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H. J. Suk, M. W. Seo, H. S. Kim, J. M. Lee. (2007). “Numerical Simulation for

Evaluation the Feasibility of Using Sand and Gravel Contaminated by Heavy Metals for
Dam Embankment Materials.” The Korea Society of Economic and Environmental
Geology. Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 209-221.

NIDP. (2008). Application Method of Permeable Block for Urban Development Plan,
No.11-1660000-000201-14, National Disaster Management Institute, Seoul, South
Korea.

NIDP. (2007). Development of the Construction Standards on the Storage and

Infiltration Facilities to Reduce Runoff Quantity(II), No.11-1660080-000024-14,
National Institute for Disaster Management, Seoul, South Korea.

NIDP. (2003). Analysis on Effects of Runoff Reduction Facilities, No. 11-1660030-

000007-01, National Institute for Disaster Management, Seoul, South Korea.

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