research project details
Project Title: Demonstration of porous pavement to control urban runoff
Investigator(s): Brian Dempsey
Sponsor: PA Department of Environmental Protection
Environmental Problem Addressed:
Surface runoff from paved areas.
Research Project Objectives:
Compare runoff, infiltration, and water quality impacts of a porous pavement parking area to conventional impervious pavement parking areas.
Summary:
Runoff from urban areas is the leading cause of impairments to estuaries and is the third largest source of water quality impairments to lakes. Decreasing the amount of paved areas in urban areas is one solution to reducing urban runoff. Constructing parking lots out of porous materials is an alternative to pavement. Porous pavement should increase infiltration and thereby decrease surface runoff.
This study will examine the effectiveness of porous pavement by studying the characteristics of a porous parking area located at the Centre County/PennState Visitor’s Center in State College, PA. Construction and maintenance of the porous parking will be evaluated. Runoff, infiltration, and water quality impacts will be measured at six sample points at the porous pavement site and at three impervious pavement sites for comparison. It is expected that the porous pavement site will exhibit decreased surface runoff, improved water quality, and improved groundwater infiltration compared to the impervious pavement sites, and provide increased options for dealing with urban runoff.
The porous pavement demonstration site will be used to educate local and state regulators and engineers; visitors to the Centre County Visitors’ Center; and Penn State students.