Water Quality of Drainage from Permeable Friction Course

An overlay of porous asphalt known as permeable friction course (PFC) is an innovative roadway material that improves both driving conditions in wet weather and water quality. Placed in a layer 25–50 mm thick on top of regular impermeable pavement, PFC allows rainfall to drain within the porous layer rather than on top of the pavement. This paper presents water quality measurements for PFC and conventional pavement collected over six years near Austin, TX and two years in eastern North Carolina. The data show that concentrations of total suspended solids from PFC are more than 90% lower than from conventional pavement. Lower effluent concentrations are also observed for total amounts of phosphorus, copper, lead, and zinc. The combined data sets show that PFC’s benefits last through the design life of the pavement, that results in Texas are consistent with those from North Carolina, and that both are consistent with earlier studies from France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

[1]  Viney P. Aneja,et al.  Characterization of atmospheric ammonia emissions from swine waste storage and treatment lagoons , 2000 .

[2]  William F. Hunt,et al.  Asphalt Parking Lot Runoff Nutrient Characterization for Eight Sites in North Carolina, USA , 2009 .

[3]  Michael E Barrett,et al.  Performance Comparison of Structural Stormwater Best Management Practices , 2005, Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation.

[4]  D. Booth,et al.  Long-term stormwater quantity and quality performance of permeable pavement systems. , 2003, Water research.

[5]  Edward T. Harrigan,et al.  NAtioNAl CooperAtive HigHwAy reseArCH progrAm , 2013 .

[6]  Michael E. Barrett,et al.  Benefits of Porous Asphalt Overlay on Storm Water Quality , 2007 .

[7]  William F. Hunt,et al.  Pollutant Removal and Peak Flow Mitigation by a Bioretention Cell in Urban Charlotte, N.C. , 2008 .

[8]  K. Krauth,et al.  The pollution of effluents from pervious pavements of an experimental highway section: first results , 1994 .

[9]  William F. Hunt,et al.  Side-by-Side Comparison of Nitrogen Species Removal for Four Types of Permeable Pavement and Standard Asphalt in Eastern North Carolina , 2010 .

[10]  Michael E. Barrett,et al.  Particle size distribution of highway runoff and modification through stormwater treatment , 2005 .

[11]  C. Pagotto,et al.  Comparison of the hydraulic behaviour and the quality of highway runoff water according to the type of pavement , 2000 .

[12]  Michael E. Barrett,et al.  Effects of a Permeable Friction Course on Highway Runoff , 2008 .

[13]  Michael E. Barrett,et al.  Methodology for Determining Laboratory and In Situ Hydraulic Conductivity of Asphalt Permeable Friction Course , 2011 .

[14]  A. E. Greenberg,et al.  Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater seventh edition , 2013 .

[15]  William F. Hunt,et al.  Evaluation of Four Permeable Pavement Sites in Eastern North Carolina for Runoff Reduction and Water Quality Impacts , 2007 .

[16]  R. Brouwer,et al.  Characterization and Treatment of Runoff from Highways in the Netherlands Paved with Impervious and Pervious Asphalt , 1999 .

[17]  D. E. Line,et al.  Field study of the ability of two grassed bioretention cells to reduce storm-water runoff pollution. , 2009 .

[18]  Michael E. Barrett,et al.  Performance, Cost, and Maintenance Requirements of Austin Sand Filters , 2003 .

[19]  Michael E Barrett,et al.  Stormwater Quality Benefits of a Porous Friction Course and Its Effect on Pollutant Removal by Roadside Shoulders , 2006, Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation.

[20]  D. E. Line,et al.  Performance of a Bioretention Area and a Level Spreader-Grass Filter Strip at Two Highway Sites in North Carolina , 2009 .

[21]  James J. Houle,et al.  Seasonal Performance Variations for Storm-Water Management Systems in Cold Climate Conditions , 2009 .