Development of clogging resistance clay blocks for permeable pavement applications

초록

Permeable pavements play a crucial role in managing water infiltration and surface runoff, requiring a balance of permeability, clogging resistance, and durability for long-term performance. While permeable blocks have traditionally been used in such applications, many conventional designs suffer from clogging, low structural strength and high maintenance needs, limiting their effectiveness. This study introduces clogging-resistant clay blocks (CRB) and evaluates their performance in permeability, strength and freeze-thaw resistance based on the number and size of holes. The objective is to identify optimal designs and verify their suitability for lightweight traffic pavements. CRB designs were optimised using a finite element modelling (FEM) and drilled into solid clay blocks. Additionally, due to manufacturing constraints, alternative factory-produced designs with lower porosity were developed. The CRB blocks were tested for permeability, clogging resistance, flexural and compressive strength, and freeze-thaw durability. Among the FEM-designed blocks, CRB 2 (3.82% porosity) achieved good performance with a permeability of 3.54 cm/s, a compressive strength of 33.5 MPa, a flexural strength of 6.85 MPa, and resistance to clogging. The practical factory-produced CRB 5 block (2.31% porosity) achieved 1.57 cm/s permeability, 7.3 MPa flexural strength and negligible mass loss after freeze-thaw cycles. These findings show CRB's potential as a sustainable, durable solution for urban infrastructure.

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