Long-Term Hydraulic Performance of Porous Asphalt Pavements in Northern Sweden

Abstract

The effect of clogging on the long-term infiltration capacity and porosity of two 18- and 24-year-old porous asphalts was examined by using replicate double-ring infiltrometer tests and analyzing asphalt core samples. Tests were carried out to see if high pressure washing and vacuum cleaning could restore the hydraulic performance. The infiltration capacity of the porous asphalts decreased substan- tially, primarily due to surficial clogging (0.50 � 0.26 in Lulea, Sweden, and 0.22 � 0.12 in Haparanda, Sweden, compared to initially > 290 mmmin −1 ). In Lulea, washing and vacuum cleaning could partially restore the infiltration capacity (3.48 � 3.00 mmmin −1 ), but in Haparanda, no effect was measured. The porosity was constantly between 16 and 18%. The difference of the long-term behavior and effect of cleaning in Lulea and Haparanda is primarily attributable to different street maintenance, age, and winter maintenance (application of fine gravel and/or sand). Although the infiltration capacity in Lulea was far below initial values, the asphalt still has the capacity to infiltrate an intense design rainfall (100 year average return interval, 15 min duration), underlining that porous asphalt can be a resilient feature also under nonfavorable conditions. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000569. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Porous media; Asphalt pavements; Clogging; Infiltration; Sweden; Hydraulics. Author keywords: Porous asphalt; Long-term performance; Clogging; High-pressure washing/vacuum cleaning; Infiltration capacity; Porosity.