Tarmac creates permeable concrete

Lafarge Tarmac has created Topmix Permeable, a fast draining concrete that can rapidly direct water off of road surfaces in order to minimise costs and long-term maintenance.

Up to 880 gallons of water can seep through it in 60 sec., due to the permeable layer of concrete on top that allows water to drain through a matrix of relatively large pebbles into a loose base of rubble beneath. The amount of water it can handle is increased by the drainage channels incorporated into the rubble.

Permeable concrete has been used under paving for around 60 years, but advances in the way it can be compacted has allowed Tarmac to use it as a top surface that is capable of withstanding cars.

The primary use of Topmix will be to combat flooding in urban areas, minimising both damage and damage costs. It could also make roads and cycle paths safer by preventing puddles that could be a risk, as well as reducing the heating of tarmac in hot weather.

The video below shows the concrete being tested.

Edited from various sources by Rebecca Bowden

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/23092015/tarmac-creates-permeable-concrete-645/