Construction of Porous Drain Asphalt Pavement

Abstract

Porous asphalt pavements offer an alternative technology for stormwater management. A porous asphalt pavement differs from traditional asphalt pavement designs in that the structure permits fluids to pass freely through it, reducing or controlling the amount of runoff from the surrounding area. By allowing precipitation and runoff to flow through the structure, this pavement type functions as an additional stormwater management technique. The overall benefits of porous asphalt pavements may include both environmental and safety benefits including improved storm water management, improved skid resistance, reduction of spray to drivers and pedestrians, as well as a potential for noise reduction. With increasing environmental awareness and an evolving paradigm shift in storm water management techniques, this research aims to provide guidance for  engineers, contractors, and government agencies on the design of porous asphalt pavement structures. One of the keys to the success of this pavement type is in the design of the asphalt mix. The air void percentage, which is ultimately related to the effectiveness of the pavement to adequately control the runoff, is a critical component of the mix. However, special consideration is required in order to obtain higher air void percentages while maintaining strength and durability for any climatic conditions. The objectives of this study were to evaluate several laboratory porous asphalt mix designed for durability,strength and flow for any climatic conditions. The porous asphalt mixes are made using Marshall mix design method whereby the asphalt binder type was varied along with replacing some amount of bitumen with polymer. Performance testing of the porous asphalt including drain down susceptibility, moisture-induced damage susceptibility. Based on the preliminary laboratory results, an optimal porous asphalt mix was recommended for use in any climate. Initial design guidelines for porous asphalt  will be provided based on preliminary findings and the strength of the Dense Bituminous Macadam layer is found using different binders with different grades of bitumen along with replacing some percentage of bitumen with polymer.