Effect of Rejuvenation Methods on the Infiltration Rates of Pervious Concrete Pavements

Abstract

Pervious concrete pavements in low-traffic urban areas such as parking lots reduce storm water runoff and also minimize water pollution. However, there are concerns about their expected clogging and consequential reduction of hydraulic performance in the long run. The pervious concrete pavements can be declogged using rejuvenation methods such as vacuum sweeping, or pressure washing, or a combination of both. This paper presents the results of our study that focused on the hydraulic performance of pervious concrete pavements. The study included field and laboratory investigations to evaluate the infiltration capacities of the pervious concrete cores and the underlying soils and the usefulness of rejuvenation methods in restoring their hydraulic performance. As a result of this research program, a new field test device, called the embedded ring infiltrometer, was developed for evaluating the infiltration rates of newly installed pervious concrete pavements. The results of this study indicate that the rejuvenation methods can substantially restore the performance of pervious concrete pavements for better management of storm water.