Porous Pavement, The Houston Experience

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Porous Pavement, The Houston Experience

• Jeremy Hanzlik
• January 20, 2006

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Jeremy Hanzlik, EIT
Graduate Engineer

• 3 years at TCB
• Environmental and water resource studies,
  permitting, etc.
• Miscellaneous studies and publications related to
  BMP development to reduce phosphorus
  contamination in surface water
• Miscellaneous research related to water quality
  and soil contamination, including PCB, TNT, and
  PAH remediation
• M.S. Biological Agricultural Engineering, TAMU
• B.S. Agricultural Engineering, TAMU
• B.S. Bioenvironmental Sciences, TAMU

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Porous Pavement
introduction
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Porous PavementWhat is it?
A pavement permitting water infiltration as
opposed to traditional, virtually impervious
paving. Three general types of porous pavement
in use today

• Poured materialasphalt and concrete
• Modular paver systemsplastic or concrete
  interlocking pavers
• Block-based systemsstone, brick, concrete
  pavers, etc.
• presentation neglects landscaping materials such
  a crushed granite, mulch, etc. because they are
  typically not engineered solutions and are
  generally temporary

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Porous PavementWhy use it?

• Increase infiltration
• An increase in infiltration can help decrease
  surface water runoff
• Improve water quality
• Decreased runoff velocities can decrease sediment
  carried into area bayous and streams
• Aesthetic appeal
• Green looking pavements can be a residential or
  commercial amenity integrates better with
  landscape plantings
• Economics
• Areas with less frequent traffic require a less
  robust parking and driving surface
• Heat reduction
• Absorbs and radiates less heat than traditional
  concrete

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Porous PavementLimitations

• Durability
• Frequent traffic
• Weight limitations (e.g. compaction)
• Maintenance
• Mowing and weed prevention
• Vacuum truck, cleaning required for concrete and
  asphalt to prevent clogging

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Porous PavementVehicular Applications

• Vehicular accessresidential driveways, service
  driveways, roadway shoulders, crossovers,
  medians, fire lanes, and utility access
• Parking areaschurch, employee, overflow, special
  event, and guest

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Porous PavementRecreational Applications

• Trailsbicycle, pedestrian, and equestrian
• Golf coursescart paths and cart parking
• Pedestrian areasapproaches to monuments, statues
  and fountains, special event areas
• Recreation areasoutdoor basketball court
  pavement, picnic areas, highway rest stops

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Porous PavementErosion Control Applications

• Slope stabilization and erosion controldrainage
  channels, storm water collection systems,
  shoreline for lakes, ponds, and created wetland
  areas

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The Houston Experience
local examples
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Reliant Center
The Worlds Largest Engineered Grass-Porous
Paving System

• Porous pavement designed and implemented by an
  architectural firm (TCB contributed through
  public works design for Reliant Center)
• Overflow parking designed for infrequent,
  seasonal use associated with football events
• Modular paver system (Grasspave 2 by Invisible
  Structures, Inc.)
• Interlocking reinforced plastic mats
• Covered in vegetation
• Subsurface drainage system

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Reliant Center

• 317,000 sq ft
• Modular reinforced plastic mats covered with
  grassy vegetation
• Incorporated perforated PVC wrapped in landscape
  fabric to help provide drainage
• Ability to store and clean 60,000 cubic feet of
  storm water
• Ability to trap drips of contaminated fluids from
  automobiles
• Reduces the urban heat island effect for direct
  use
• Vegetated lot is significantly cooler than
  neighboring conventionally paved lots, and can be
  used to host festival events
• Increased infiltration facilitates growth of
  trees and shrubs to improve overall aesthetics

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Reliant Center
Photographs
Photographs by Invisible Structures,
Inc. http//www.invisiblestructures.com/
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Reliant Center
A contrast with the old Astrodome Parking
Photographs by Invisible Structures,
Inc. http//www.invisiblestructures.com/
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City of Houston Pump Station
Crestwood Pump Station and Force Main

• TCB public works design team developed an
  aesthetically appealing access drive
• Blends into the visually sensitive neighborhood
• Modular paver system similar to Reliant Center
• Rolled rubber material placed over a stabilized
  subgrade, stone, and sand
• Vegetated with broadcast seed
• Provides infrequent access for maintenance
  operations

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Amegy Bank
Augusta Branch near the Galleria

• Supplements concrete parking spaces
• Accommodates mature trees on the lot
• Allows water infiltration
• Allows space for growth
• Promotes a green appeal to the bank by
  preserving the trees

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Amegy Bank
Photograph
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Harris County Flood Control District
Parking at Brookhollow (9900 Northwest Freeway)

• Modular paver system
• Interlocking concrete blocks
• Filled with crushed stone/gravel
• Supplements concrete parking spaces
• Increased infiltration
• Accommodate existing mature trees
• Promote future growth of the trees
• Combined with native vegetation demonstration
• Facilitates a green appeal to the parking area
• Balances expansion needs with existing environment

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Harris County Flood Control District
Photographs
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Harris County Flood Control District
Photographs
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Harris County Flood Control District
Photographs (note the interlocking pavers)
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In Closing
additional information
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Additional Information
Jeremy Hanzlik (jeremy.hanzlik_at_tcb.aecom.com
) TCB 5757 Woodway Houston, TX 77057

• Reliant Center
• Invisible Structures Inc.
• http//www.invisiblestructures.com/
• Crestwood Pump Station
• TCB (Joe Nguyen, PE)
• http//www.tcb.aecom.com
• Amegy Bank
• 1075 Augusta, Houston, TX 77057
• HCFCD
• http//www.hcfcd.org/11042003.html