Introduction

• Pervious concrete is a zero slump, open graded material.

• It is also known as porous concrete, no fines concrete, permeable
concrete and porous pavement
• Pervious concrete is made using large aggregates with little to no fine
aggregates.
• It is a special type of concrete with a high porosity used for concrete
flatwork applications that allows water from precipitation and other
sources to pass right through, hence reducing the runoff from a site and
allowing groundwater recharge.
• It is an important application for sustainable construction and is one of
many low impact development techniques used by builders to protect
water quality.
• It is used in areas of lower traffic loads
 Preparation
• Pervious concrete contains coarse aggregate, cement and water with little to no
fine aggregates. However the addition of sand is proven to increase the strength.
• The mixture has a water-cement ratio of 0.28 to 0.40 The right quantity of water in
the concrete is crucial. A proper water content gives the mix a wet-metallic
appearance
• Allowable void content is 15 to 25 per cent.
• Size of pores range from 2 to 8 mm.
• Components:
– Coarse aggregate
– Portland cement
– Pozzolana
– Water
– Admixtures
• Recommended Concrete working time is usually, one hour between mixing and
placing.
3 1
• Flatwork is done with riser strips on the top such that the screed is 8 to 2 inch (9
to 12 mm) above the final pavement.
• Excessive compaction of pervious concrete results in higher compressive strength,
but lower porosity (and thus lower permeability)
• Curing is typically specified as a minimum 6 mil plastic cover placed and securely
anchored within 15 minutes of the pervious mixture being discharged from the
mixer truck.
Permeability
• Typical flow rates through pervious concrete are 3 to 8
gal/feet²/min, rates of up to 17 gal/feet²/min
• A ‘permeameter’ is constructed (as shown in Figure), which is
composed of two parts: an encapsulating cylinder and a flow
pipe.
• Ultrasonic frequency technology is employed which measures
the flow in m/s with the use of clamp-on sensors

Porosity
Volume of pores
• 𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 % = ∗ 100
Bulk volume
• A pavement 5 inches (125 mm) thick with 20% voids will be able to store 1 inch
(25 mm) of a sustained rainstorm in its voids.
Compressive Strength
• Compressive strengths ( 500 to 4000 psi)
• Typical values are about 2500 psi
• Since voids in pervious concrete reduce the strength of concrete, it is essential to
find a balance between aggregate, water and cement in order to counteract the
opposing characteristics viz. strength and permeability

Flexural Strength
• Flexural strength (150 psi to 550 psi ).
• Flexural strength is affected by compaction, porosity, and the aggregate-to-
cement (A/C) ratio.
• Pervious concrete does not require the measurement of flexural strength for
design.

Splitting tensile strength

• Indirect splitting tensile strength test is performed on specimens according to
ASTM C496-966 using an MTS 815 machine.
• The load (P) is applied uniformly at the rate of 24.69 kN per second over the
cylinder of length, L, and diameter, D placed horizontally. Ultimate loading capacity
(𝑓𝑐′ ) is recorded and the tensile strength is calculated in MPa using the formula
2P
𝑓𝑐′ = πld
Abrasion resistance
• Because of the rougher surface texture and open structure of pervious concrete,
abrasion and raveling of aggregate particles can be a problem, particularly where
snowplows are used to clear pavements.
• Pervious concrete is not suited for highways. However, anecdotal evidence
indicates that pervious concrete pavements allow snow to melt faster, requiring
less plowing.

Shrinkage
• It is found that drying shrinkage in pervious concrete is quicker than that
experienced with regular concrete.
• Hence many pervious concrete pavements are made without control joints and are
allowed to crack randomly.

Freeze-Thaw Resistance
• Research indicates that entrained air in the paste dramatically improves freeze-
thaw protection
• It is found that the rapid draining characteristics of pervious concrete prevent the
saturation inside the pavement
 Applications
• Its high porosity provides it with thermally insulating properties as in walls of buildings
• It has good acoustical properties hence they can be served as sound barrier walls
• Other applications include -

1. Low-volume pavements 11. Well linings

2. Residential roads, alleys and driveways 12. Tree grates in sidewalks
3. Sidewalks and pathways 13. Foundations / floors for greenhouses,
4. Parking areas fish hatcheries,
5. Low water crossings 14. aquatic amusement centers, and zoos
6. Tennis courts 15. Hydraulic structures
7. Sub-base for conventional 16. Swimming pool decks
concrete pavements 17. Pavement edge drains
8. Patios 18. Seawalls
9. Artificial reefs 19. Noise barriers
10. Slope stabilization 20. Walls (including load-bearing)
 Precautions during design

1. Initial costs for pervious concrete pavements are greater than those for conventional
concrete or asphalt paving.
2. Since pervious concrete has an uneven texture, honeycombed surface, fair amounts
of surface ravelling are common.
3. A low water to cement ratio will increase the strength of concrete, but modest
amount of water may cause surface failure and ravelling
4. The aforementioned cause is the main reason pervious concrete is not used in high
traffic pavements such as highways. Tyre shear can loosen the aggregate at the
surface and the pavement can get worn out.
5. Proper engineering of the substrate underneath the pavement is essential since it
must be able to momentarily store the water while it infiltrates into the soil.
6. Hard subgrade can cause water clogging in the pervious pavement
Economic Benefits
1. Eliminates the need for fine aggregates
2. Reduced overall installation costs since it eliminates the cost of installing storm
drains and underground piping
3. Allows the use of existing sewer systems
4. Water budget retention and pollution removal
5. Land utilization is increased thus it removes the need for purchasing additional
land to install huge retention ponds or other water retention and filtering systems.
6. Life-cycle cost is lowered and have a life expectancy of 20 to 40 years similar to
regular concrete

Environmental Benefits
1. Maintain aquifer levels by directly recharging groundwater.
2. Decrease the amount of untreated runoff released into storm sewers.
3. Alleviate pollutants that can taint watersheds and harm sensitive ecosystems.
4. Direct more water to roots and landscaping, so that there is lesser need for
irrigation.
5. Get rid of hydrocarbon pollution from asphalt pavements.