Porosity, Permeability, and Compressive Strength after Freezing and Thawing of Permeable Polymer Concrete

Abstract

Permeable pavements are one of the most widely employed low impact development techniques. In this study, the physical characteristics of permeable polymer concrete materials were assessed. For varying contents of silica sand, the porosity, permeability, and compressive strength were experimentally evaluated before and after freeze-thaw cycles. The results indicate that specimens with a high content of silica sand possess low porosity, low permeability, and high compressive strength. Additionally, under identical compaction efforts, specimens with greater content of silica sand had higher unit weights. After 300 freeze-thaw cycles, the compressive strength of the specimens reduced to approximately 60% of the initial value. The standards for moisture conditions associated with freezing and thawing of permeable concrete have not been established yet. Hence, it is necessary to develop testing standards that take Korean environments into consideration. Keywords: Permeable Pavement, Polymer Concrete, Permeability, Compressive Strength, Freezing and Thawing