What is Pervious Concrete?
Pervious poured is a special type of concrete with a high porosity used for concrete flatwork applications that allows water from precipitation and other sources to pass directly through. It is also called porous concrete, permeable concrete, no-fines concrete, gap-graded concrete and enhanced-porosity concrete.
What are its benefits?
- Recharges groundwater
- Reduces storm water runoff
- Meets EPA storm water regulations
- Reduces need for retention ponds, swales and other storm water management devices
- Lowers overall project costs
- Suitable for many applications
- Controls pollutants
- Captures heavy metals
- Important for sustainable construction
- Allows storm water to percolate and infiltrate the surface areas
Why is it effective?
In pervious concrete, carefully controlled amounts of water and cement materials are used to create a paste that forms a thick coating around aggregate particles. A pervious concrete mixture contains little or no sand, creating a substantial void content. Using sufficient paste to coat and bind the aggregate particles together creates a system of highly permeable, interconnected voids that drains quickly.
Where is it used?
- Parking areas
- Light traffic area
- Residential streets, sidewalks and driveways
- Pedestrian walkways
- Greenhouses
- Walking and cycle paths
- Service or emergency access lanes
- Road and airport shoulders
