During the first few weeks of August 2007, the American Midwest was devastated by heavy and repeated flash flooding as a result of Hurricane Dean and Tropical Storm Erin dumping massive amounts of rain on several states. And of the US$549 million or so in property damage that came from it, more than two-thirds was caused by water running off pavements or overflowing from drainage systems. So what's the solution? — Science Alert
Alongside a video that's quickly circulating on social media, Tarmac has announced a new type of porous concrete meant to help mitigate flooding by absorbing water.
Capable of taking in some 4,000 litres in the first minute and an average of 600 liters per minute, per meter squared, the concrete has been named "Topmix Permeable."
The material comprises a permeable surface layer of large pebbles, with an "attenuation layer" below that diverts the water flow back to groundwater and drainage systems, helping to not only prevent flooding, but reduce waste as well.
Alas – the concrete wouldn't work in freezing temperatures, so it's only really applicable for regions that are both temperate and vulnerable to flooding.
h/t Science Alert
Check out the video below:
3 Comments
This is impressive.
I always worry how durable this will be in the freeze thaw cycle if the water is trapped in the spongy pavement because the ground is still frozen below then freezes while in trapped in the pavement I just see it deteriorating rapidly? Maybe this needs some more testing before it goes everywhere, it is hard to ask clients to take a chance on untested innovation. Also missing is a means to clean the pavement as dirt accumulates off of cars and mostly from runoff from landscaping or decomposing leaves, we need a way to clean this out without destroying it and putting it down again.
I do notice that it is used in parking lots and not roads or major drive lanes. It can also have uses as a means to alert drivers of pedestrian zones ahead because it has a unique sound when your wheels run over it.
functionality is totally dependent on the drainage or retention system below the paving, or the permeability of the native soil and base. That video is a marketing ploy for something that already exists in many forms.
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