POROUS ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

By
P.VIJAYA PRATHYUSHA
(061218)
M.Tech (II-Semester)
Transportation Division.
 INTRODUCTION

• The transport demand increase by over 5 times

by the year 2021.
• As per the study conducted by MORT&H,
15,766 km of Expressway is required by the end
of year 2020.
• Need to maintain the speed on these
expressways, which gives good skid resistance
and reduces night glare during wet weather
conditions by reducing accidents.
• For fulfilling these requirements there is a need
for an investigation into friction and drainage
course as a surface layer.
• Friction course popularly known as Porous
Asphalt, is gaining importance.
Types of porous pavements

Pervious concrete

Porous asphalt
Asphalt pavement after snowstorm pervious concrete after snowstorm
 POROUS ASPHALT

• Also called as Open Graded Friction Courses (OGFC).

• Special purpose wearing course that drains water away
from the pavement surface.
 POROUS ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

• Porous pavement is a special type of pavement

that allows rain and snowmelt to pass through it,
there by reducing the runoff from a site and
surrounding areas.
• Porous asphalt pavements are the asphaltic mixes
with a designed void ratio of about 22%.
Perforated pipes distribute storm water evenly
throughout the infiltration bed
 Cross Sectional View
Porous Asphalt Pavement Dense Grade Pavement
Rainwater Rainwater

Bituminous
wearing
course

Bituminous
base

Design percentage of air voids

20%
Porous pavements can be laid in two types

• Single layer porous asphalt pavement

• Two layer porous asphalt pavement

Two layer porous asphalt pavement
Overview of the 4 test sections with two-layer porous
asphalt on an urban road in Copenhagen
Factors to be considered while using porous
asphalt pavements for a project
 Soil characteristics

Local topography

Climatic factors

Environmental factors
Places where we can’t use porous
pavements
PRINCIPLE OF POROUS ASPHALT

• Strom water runoff management

• Noise reduction

• Safety
 Reduction of Traffic Noise

Restrain the
generation of air
pumping sound
Absorb the
exhaust noise
Difference in
traffic noise level

3 dB
 Cause of Reduction of Traffic Accidents
Enhancement of
Visibility ahead, Visibility of lane markings,
Skid resistance of road surface

Water spray

Dense grade
bituminous
pavement

Road surface
Porous reflection
bituminous
pavement
Change in the Number of Traffic Accidents on
Wet Surface of Expressways
Number of Traffic Accidents on

3500
Wet Surface of Expressways

2981
3000
2500
2000
More than 85%
1500
1000
488
500
0
before installation after installation
PROPERTIES OF POROUS ASPHALT
PAVEMENTS

• Traffic noise reduction

• Skid resistance
• Permeability
• Structural properties
• Adhesiveness
• Reduction in runoff
Spray on a Dense
Graded Mix

Spray on an Open
Graded Friction
Course Mix
FEATURES OF POROUS ASPHALT
MIXTURES
-Mixtures with 17-22% air voids.
-Thickness of road : 20-40 mm.
-Materials:
-uniform grading of aggregates with 50 to 60 %
of the aggregates particles of the same size .
-Asphalt content of the mixtures slightly higher
than that of dense graded mixtures.
COMPOSITION
-Aggregates

-Bitumen : neat bitumen / modified bitumen

-Additives for modification: Crumb Rubber,

natural rubber .

-Cellulose Fibers :0.15-0.5% (by weight of

mixture)
Cellulose Fiber
 Design considerations

Two common modifications made in

designing porous pavement systems are

(1) Varying the amount of storage in the stone

reservoir beneath the pavement and

(2) Adding perforated pipes near the top of the

reservoir to discharge excess storm water after the
reservoir has been filled
MIX DESIGN PROCESS:
-Marshall mix design procedure was adopted for
designing porous asphalt mixtures.
-Two Compaction Efforts : 25 blows on both faces
and 50 blows on one face by Marshall hammer
Following are the steps:
1.Material Selection
2.Selection of design gradation
3.Determine optimum asphalt content
4.Evaluate mix for moisture susceptibility
1.Material Selection:
-Select materials suitable for OGFC
-The binder selection should be based on
-environment,
-traffic,
-expected functional performance of OGFC
2.Selection of design gradation:
Physical properties of aggregates

Test Description Test Method Results

Specific Gravity Indian Standard (IS): 2.67

2386 (Pt IV-1963)
Water Absorption(%) Indian Standard (IS): 2386 0.42
(Pt III-1963)
Impact Value (%) Indian Standard (IS): 2386 16.1
(Pt IV-1963)
 Aggregate Gradation
IS Sieve Size Percent Passing
Adopted
US South Africa
for India
19.0mm
- 100 100
(3/4 inch)
13.2mm
100 95-100 95-100
(1/2 inch)
9.5mm
95-100 40-60 40-60
(3/8 inch)
4.75mm
30-50 10-26 10-20
(No. 4)
2.36mm
5-15 9-20 5-15
(No. 8)
0.075μm
2-5 3-5 2-5
(No. 200)
3.Determine optimum asphalt content
-Four different binder contents at an increment of
0.5 percent.
- Draindown test on loose mix Cantabro abrasion
test are carried out.
- Following criteria was selected as optimum binder
content:
1.Air voids : 18%

2.Draindown Test: ≤ 0.3%by total mixture mass

4.Evaluate mix for moisture susceptibility :
-the mix designed should be evaluated for moisture
susceptibility using modified Lottman method
(AASHTO T283)

-The retained tensile strength should be atleast 80%

LABORATORY TESTS
1.Draindown Test
- A loose asphalt mixture is prepared.
- Carried on mixtures at mixing temperature of
170ºC .
- After 1 hour the amount of draindown is
measured .
Wire basket assembly
(not to scale)
Draindown Test
2.Permeability Test

-The falling-head laboratory permeability test was used.

-Done on compacted porous asphalt mixtures
Water permeability testing apparatus
3.Indirect Tensile Test
-The stiffness is less than those of conventional
dense graded wearing courses.
- have lesser ability to distribute traffic stresses
than dense graded mixtures.
-The stiffness of the porous asphalt mixtures are
generally about half to two-thirds of dense-
graded mixtures.
4.Resistance to Skidding:
-By using the pendulum type skid resistance tester
(ASTM 303).
-The average value of coefficient of friction for the
porous asphalt specimens was found to be 0.75.
POROUS ASPHALT CONSTRUCTIONS
-Construction method used is almost same as dense
graded mixtures.
-Any storage of the mixture should not exceed 15 min.
-Compaction: two passages with a 10tonne steel wheel
static roller.
-Placing and rolling should occur above 80ºC.
-Construction is not permitted if ambient
temperatures are below 15ºC.
 Equipment for Compaction
Iron wheel Roller Tyre Roller

(mainly used) (used only for finishing)

ADVANTAGES:
-Increase in skid resistance
-Reduce splash and spray of water
-Head light glare is reduced
-Lower pavement noise levels
-Improved road safety by reducing hydroplaning
-Replenishes local aquifers
-Less need for curbing and stormsewers
LIMITATIONS
-Filling of voids with dirt and debris cannot be
cleaned easily.
-Not applicable for low traffic volumes and at
parking places.
-Mushrooming occurs when freezing conditions are
followed by rains.
-No significant structural stability like dense graded
mixtures.
-Higher initial cost.
-Risk of contaminating ground water, depending
upon the soil condition.
 PERFORMANCE
Some key factors to increase pollutant removal
include:
• Routine vacuum sweeping and high pressure
washing
• Drainage time of at least 24 hours.
• Highly permeable soils.
• Organic matter in subsoils.
• Clean-washed aggregate.
Factors enhancing longevity include:
• Vacuum sweeping and high-pressure washing.
• Use in low-intensity parking areas.
• Restrictions on use by heavy vehicles.
• Limited use of de-icing chemicals and sand.
• Resurfacing.
• Inspection and enforcement of specifications
during construction.
SERVICE LIFE

COST CONSIDERATIOS
 CASE STUDY

• Constructed at Walden Pond, Massachusetts .

• In the year 1989.

• Climatic conditions
The specification’s used for Walden
Pond's Porous Pavement

– Well-drained underlying soil.

– Minimum thickness of the porous asphalt
course is 2.5 inches
– Mix composition per Table 2, asphalt content
4.5 to 5.58, and
– Asphalt type AC-20 viscosity grade.
 Square-Opening Percent Passing
Course
Sieve (by Weight)

1/2 inch 100

3/8 inch 90-100
No. 4 35-50
POROUS
No. 8 15-32
PAVEMENT
No. 16 0-15
No. 200 0-3
Asphalt 4.5-5.5%

BASE COURSE 1/2 inch 100

TYPE A 3/8 inch 0-5

2-1/2 inch 100

2 inch 95-100
BASE COURSE
1-1/2 inch 35-70
TYPE B
1 inch 0-15
3/4 inch 0-5
 SUMMARY

• The chief advantages of porous asphalt wearing courses to

road users are expected to be improved road safety and
reduced congestion.
• Further more the noise nuisance on such roads is greatly
diminished.
• On the other hand additional costs are involved because of
the shorter life and more experience maintenance is
required. But this can be justified by the potential benefits.
• Application in urban environment cannot take full
advantage of the noise reduction potential when traffic
travels at lower speeds.
• Can be applied on pavements which are structurally
sound and sufficient.
• Can be used for high speed corridors.
• Can be used at places of heavy rainfall.