Impacts of a Pervious Concrete System on Neighboring Clay Soils in Warm-Dry Months

Abstract

Heat and moisture transfers can lead to considerable fluctuations in thermal and moisture related properties in a soil system caused by daily and seasonal temperature changes. Of interest is how the addition of a permeable pavement system might impact neighboring soils below grade because these impacts might further affect pavements or other infrastructure installed above. This study investigates the impacts of a pervious concrete system on neighboring clay soils in June, July, and August which are considered as a warm-dry condition in eastern Washington. This was accomplished by installing three arrays of soil moisture and temperature sensors into the soils next to a pervious concrete pavement system and monitoring the variations over two summers. Results imply that the pavement system impacts the near-surface temperatures with larger temperature fluctuations, and similar but smaller variations deeper near an underground aggregate water storage bed, except when water is added, resulting in a more rapid cooling.