Development of a Methodical Framework to Calculate Rational Height of the Riser Strip in Pervious Concrete Pavement Construction

Abstract

Abstract Pervious concrete pavement (PCP) system is an emerging technology due to its sustainability and stormwater management capabilities. Globally, there is no standard procedure for the design and construction of PCPs. However, one empirical technique used during the field implementation encompasses the provision of 9–9 mm of riser strip for PCP surface course, as also suggested by the American Concrete Institute. To advance the PCP design toward a mechanistic approach, this paper provided a methodology to compute the rational height of the riser strip based on correlations between different properties of pervious concrete (PC) and the uncompacted PC mixture density. Additionally, a user-interactive program called “Pervious Concrete Pavement Construction Assistant Program (PCPCAP)” was also developed using MATLAB. Furthermore, the proposed methodology was evaluated by preparing small-scale test slabs in the laboratory and field with a target porosity of 34 %. Cores were extracted from the 7-day-cured slab and tested for porosity and hardened density. The results showed an excellent match between target and measured porosities with a difference of less than 3 %. Additionally, the calculated hardened density corresponding to the target porosity and the measured hardened density were also in good agreement, with a difference of only 3 %. It is noteworthy that the proposed framework will help during the construction of PCPs, conforming to the desired properties in an effective and practicable manner. Overall, it is envisioned that this first-of-its-kind methodical technique could be used by contractors and practitioners to enhance the quality of PCP construction as part of field implementation practices.