Enhancing Urban Stormwater Resilience: A Comparative Study of Permeable Asphalt, Concrete, and Interlocking Pavers for Sustainable Flood Mitigation

The escalating challenges posed by rapid urbanization and climate change have intensified the quest for sustainable stormwater management strategies. Permeable pavement practices have emerged as a pivotal solution to effectively control stormwater runoff and address the associated flooding issues. This study delves into the comparative analysis of three prevalent permeable pavement types—permeable asphalts (PA), permeable concretes (PC), and permeable interlocking concrete pavers (PICP)—with the overarching goal of identifying the most efficient solution for alleviating the negative impacts of surface runoff.

In pursuit of this objective, the study conducts simulations for three distinct scenarios, each representing different extreme storm events within a designated catchment area. The evaluation encompasses the performance of PA, PC, and PICP, both with and without the integration of permeable pavements, utilizing the sophisticated Personal Computer Stormwater Management Model (PCSWMM). The selected catchment area is situated in King County, Washington, USA, providing a real-world context for the investigation.

The validation of the PCSWMM model attests to its reliability in predicting peak discharges within the study reach, establishing a robust foundation for subsequent analyses. The outcomes reveal that all three forms of permeable pavement effectively prevent flooding, with PA emerging as the most formidable solution, showcasing a remarkable average reduction of 51.25% in peak flow and 65% in total flow. In contrast, PC demonstrates a slightly more modest improvement, with average reductions of 21.75% in peak flow and 34.25% in overall flow. Furthermore, PICP exhibits the lowest reduction in peak flow (7.0%) and total runoff volume (15.75%). In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the comparative effectiveness of permeable pavements in urban stormwater management, emphasizing the critical role of thoughtful pavement selection in sustainable urban planning endeavors.