Asphalt Pavement Magazine, Nov / Dec 2011
An innovative warm-mix design eliminates fibers from porous asphalt
By Tom Kuennen
An innovative warm-mix asphalt design for a porous asphalt pavement at the U.S. Marine Corps Parris Island, South Carolina, Recruit Depot eliminated fibers often used for stability of the open-graded mix, while giving the Marine Corps a “green grinder,” or parade ground, it can be proud of.
The porous asphalt design also eliminated the expense of creating a detention pond and associated environmental requirements.
Porous asphalt pavement is an environmentally sustainable infrastructure design that helps property owners manage storm water effectively and inexpensively.
Typically, a porous asphalt pavement will be composed of, from the bottom, an uncompacted soil sub-grade which will optimize infiltration of water into the aquifer; a geotextile fabric that will permit water to pass but preclude movement of fines up into the structure; a stone recharge bed with same-sized aggregate and 40 percent voids; an optional stabilizing or “choker” course of single-size crushed stone smaller than that in the recharge bed; and an open-graded asphalt surface with 20 percent voids that permit storm water to flow through the pavement into the stone recharge bed.