DESIGN OF PERMEABLE PAVING SUBJECT TO TRAFFIC

SUMMARY Permeable paving offers significant benefits over conventional pavements in terms of sustainability and environmental impact. Such pavements need to be designed not only to carry traffic but also to manage runoff, infiltration and pollutant transport. They, therefore, present new technical problems and challenges to pavement designers that are not covered by conventional pavement design methods. In particular the selection, specification and characterisation of the materials used in the surface, base and sub-base of permeable pavements require designers to modify existing design methodologies to facilitate water movement through the pavements whilst maintaining satisfactory serviceability under traffic in saturated conditions. The concepts of permeable pavement design are outlined and the need to integrate with Water Sensitive Urban Design principles is emphasised. Progress in the characterisation and development of permeable pavement materials is described and current design data are assessed. The use of such data in the design of permeable pavements is then discussed.