Early permeable pavements included systems that typically retained earth and grass in cells or grid units constructed of stone, concrete, or plastic materials. While these systems increased the permeability and permitted some rainwater to enter the pavement, they did not provide substantial structural capacity. More recently, permeable pavement systems have been designed to accommodate more frequent and heavier loading. Their application has expanded to include walkways, trails, roadway shoulders, driveways, large commercial parking areas, and roadways.
Permeable pavement systems consist of a surface of segmental concrete paving units, porous asphalt or pervious concrete that allows water from storm events to flow freely through the surface into an open-graded aggregate base/subbase reservoir where it is collected and stored before it leaves the pavement structure. For low-infiltration rate soils, perforated drain pipes are often placed in the subbase or subgrade to drain excess water. Permeable pavement systems typically are a component of a treatment-train where stormwater is managed and treated near its source and through conveyance infrastructure. When stormwater is infiltrated through a permeable pavement system, the water is filtered and suspended particles within the water are captured and held within the bedding and aggregate layers.
This course outlines technical advances in permeable pavement design. The design of permeable pavements differ from other traditional pavement systems in that both structural and hydrologic considerations impact the system depth, one of three different infiltration approaches can be used based on site and subgrade conditions, and unique elements are included over sloped subgrades. The course covers pavement and hydrologic design, site selection, construction, and maintenance, and provides case studies of the successful use of pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and permeable interlocking concrete pavements.
Guide construction specifications, construction, and maintenance guidelines are provided via checklists. A key tool for assessing surface infiltration and subsequent vacuum cleaning is adoption of an ASTM surface infiltration test for permeable pavements. The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding of the key features of design, construction, and maintenance of permeable pavements to assist agencies and other owners to implement permeable pavement system for economical stormwater management.
- Understand methods to cost-effectively design, construct and maintain permeable pavements including asphalt, concrete and interlocking concrete blocks.
- Understand structural and hydrologic design.
- Recognize key design and construction features to ensure success.
- Optimize water quantity management and quality benefits.
- Learn about flexible pavement design, construction, and maintenance needs.
- Recognize key design features needed to build long-life permeable pavements.
- Understand structural and hydrologic design.
- Understand the importance of timely maintenance.
- Permeable pavement site characterization.
- Risk matrix for the evaluation of the suitability of a permeable pavement for a specific site location.
- Design detailing for permeable pavements.
- Lessons learned from the construction and maintenance of permeable pavements.
- Specifications for permeable pavements.
- Pavement network owners and administrators.
- Engineers and technicians involved in the design, evaluation, and management of pavements.
- Stormwater professionals.
- Provincial, municipal, and local agencies.
- Airport owners and maintenance staff.
David recently retired from Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) Toronto, Ontario office. He has 38 years of experience in the design, evaluation, and management of pavement infrastructure. He has been extensively involved in the structural and hydrologic design of permeable pavements. He has authored 18 papers and completed over 60 workshops and webinars on the subject. He is the Chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers Permeable Pavement Committee that published a standard (ASCE 68-18) on permeable pavements, was a technical reviewer for an ASCE eBook on permeable pavements and has completed design, construction, and maintenance guidelines for many agencies in Canada and the U.S.
David is actively involved with many organizations including the Transportation Association of Canada (past chair of the pavements committee) and co-author of the Pavement Design and Asset Management Guide, Ontario Good Roads Association, American Society of Civil Engineers (chair of the interlocking concrete block pavement and the permeable pavements committees), World Road Association (past chair of the pavements committee), and has completed training courses for over 10,000 participants across North America.
