Application of permeable pavements in highways for stormwater runoff management and pollution prevention: California research experiences

In the future, permeable pavements including the full depth permeable pavement (FDPP) will be part of an integrated sustainable transportation program. When designed properly, FDPP can be used as an alternative best management practice (BMP) for stormwater runoff management. From a practical point of view, FDPP must maintain specific characteristics throughout the life of the pavements: (1) have adequate subgrade reservoir capacity to capture runoff volume, (2) surface pavement remain highly permeable and unclogged, (3) allowing minimum permeability of subgrade soil to infiltrate the captured runoff, and (4) assuring no adverse impact on underground water. During the past ten years the University of California Pavement Research Center (UCPRC) conducted numerous research studies to address some of the above critical questions related to the application of permeable pavement with respect to the highway stormwater runoff management. The focus of this paper is to discuss and summarize the major findings of these collective studies related to: (1) hydraulic performance evaluation of permeable pavement, (2) permeability measurement of porous asphalt and pervious concrete paved surfaces, (3) clogging evaluation of permeable pavement surfaces, and (4) water quality and pollution control issues.