PERVIOUS CONCRETE
Pervious concrete is a type of concrete that's designed to allow water to pass through it, reducing
runoff and recharging groundwater. It's also known as porous concrete, permeable concrete, no-fines
concrete, or enhanced porosity concrete.
Pervious concrete is made with cement, coarse aggregates, and carefully controlled amounts of
water. The concrete has a high porosity and a network of interconnected voids that allow water to
drain quickly. Pervious concrete is often used in driveways, parking lots, sidewalks, and other flat
outdoor areas.
Here are some features of pervious concrete:
Water management
Pervious concrete can capture and store stormwater runoff, allowing it to percolate into the ground.
Groundwater recharge
Pervious concrete can help recharge groundwater supplies.
Pollution reduction
Pervious concrete can trap suspended solids and pollutants, keeping them from polluting the water
stream.
Mimics natural processes
Pervious concrete mimics the natural process that occurs on the ground's surface.
Low compressive strength
Pervious concrete has low compressive strength and high porosity, so it's not suitable for structural
purposes.
Heat and sound absorption
Pervious concrete can absorb heat and sound energy through internal friction.
Pervious concrete can be maintained by regularly cleaning it and avoiding storing materials or
landscaping on it.
Pervious concrete (also called porous concrete, permeable concrete, no fines concrete and porous
pavement) 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, thereby reducing
the runoff from a site and allowing groundwater recharge.
Pervious concrete is made using large aggregates with little to no fine aggregates. The concrete paste
then coats the aggregates and allows water to pass through the concrete slab. Pervious concrete is
traditionally used in parking areas, areas with light traffic, residential streets, pedestrian walkways,
and greenhouses.[1][2] It is an important application for sustainable construction and is one of
many low impact development techniques used by builders to protect water quality.
Properties:
Pervious concrete consists of cement, coarse aggregate (size should be 9.5 mm to 12.5 mm) and
water with little to no fine aggregates. The addition of a small amount of sand will increase the
strength. The mixture has a water-to-cement ratio of 0.28 to 0.40 with a void content of 15 to 25
percent.
