Winter performance assessment of permeable pavements: A comparative study of porous asphalt, pervious concrete, and conventional asphalt in a northern climate

This study presents the findings from two active parking lots constructed of permeable pavements: porous asphalt and pervious concrete. Focus is given to the performance of these pavements in a cold-climate setting. Winter places great demands on pavements so it is of particular interest to evaluate how they compare to conventional designs. Analyses include measurements of frost penetration, surface infiltration rates, snow and ice cover, skid resistance, chloride retention, and effective salt loads. Infiltration rates were retained in winter conditions and with frost depths as high as 27-inches. A 75% average reduction in annual salt use was observed for porous asphalt based on low amounts of snow and ice cover and high skid resistance. \u27Black-ice\u27 did not form on pervious concrete, eliminating the need for salt during thawing-refreezing conditions. Pavement color and shading were found to be major factors influencing the amount and duration of snow/ice cover. A comparison of project costs is discussed