4 Great Benefits of Pervious Concrete Driveway -

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PERVIOUS CONCRETE DRIVEWAY: KEY TAKEAWAYS

Benefits	Pitfalls
Reduces stormwater runoff	Lower strength than traditional concrete
Improves water quality	More susceptible to clogging
Conserves water	More expensive to install than traditional concrete
Requires less maintenance than traditional concrete
Can be used in areas with poor drainage

4 Great Benefits of Pervious Concrete Driveway

What Is a Pervious Concrete Driveway?

A Pervious Concrete Driveway is a sustainable alternative to a traditional concrete driveway. It allows water to drain through the concrete and reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, and conserve water.

A pervious concrete driveway is therefore, also called a permeable concrete driveway at times.

Pervious concrete is made from a mixture of cement, coarse aggregates, and water, but it contains little or no sand. This results in a porous open-cell structure that water can pass through readily.

As a result, the pervious concrete driveway can take in stormwater at a rapid rate of 3 to 5 gallons per minute per square foot of surface area.

This exceeds the flow rate needed to prevent runoff in most rain events. The rainwater may be stored in a coarse gravel layer underneath the pavement or allowed to percolate into the underlying soil.

A pervious concrete driveway, in effect acts like a filter. The filtration process helps to purify the water.

As the water percolates through the open cells of the pavement, aerobic bacteria in the voids help to break down harmful pollutants and chemicals.

A pervious concrete driveway is also more resistant to cracking and developing potholes than a traditional concrete driveway, as water does not remain within the concrete.

Benefits of Pervious Concrete Driveways:

Reduces Stormwater Runoff:

Pervious concrete driveways allow water to drain through the concrete, which can help to reduce stormwater runoff. This helps prevent flooding and improve water quality.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, stormwater runoff is a major source of pollution in our waterways. Pervious concrete driveways can help to filter out pollutants and sediment from stormwater runoff, which improves water quality of the waterways.
A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that pervious concrete driveways can reduce stormwater runoff by up to 70%.

Improves Water Quality:

Pervious concrete driveways can help to improve water quality by filtering out pollutants and sediment from stormwater runoff.

The pollutants that are filtered out of stormwater runoff by pervious concrete driveways include:
- Sediment
- Oil and grease
- Heavy metals
- Pesticides
- Fertilizers
These pollutants can harm fish, wildlife, and other aquatic organisms. They can also make our drinking water unsafe.

Conserves Water:

Pervious concrete driveways can help to conserve water by reducing the amount of water that is needed for stormwater management.

Stormwater runoff is often collected and treated in detention ponds or retention ponds. This requires a lot of water. Pervious concrete driveways can help to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that needs to be collected and treated, which can save water.
A study by the University of California, Davis found that a pervious concrete driveway can save up to 100,000 gallons of water per year.

Requires Less Maintenance Than Traditional Concrete:

A pervious concrete driveway is more resistant to cracking and developing potholes than a traditional concrete driveway. As a result it requires less maintenance and repair.

Traditional concrete driveways need to be sealed every year to prevent water from penetrating and damaging it. However, a pervious concrete driveway need not be sealed.
Traditional concrete driveways are also more likely to crack and develop potholes as compared to pervious concrete driveways. Traditional concrete driveways tend to be less flexible than pervious concrete driveways.

Can Be Used in Areas with Poor Drainage:

Pervious concrete driveways can be used in areas with poor drainage, where traditional concrete driveways would get flooded and ultimately damaged.

In areas with poor drainage, stormwater runoff can collect and cause flooding. Pervious concrete driveways prevent flooding by absorbing stormwater runoff.

Pitfalls of Pervious Concrete Driveways:

Lower Strength Than Traditional Concrete:

Pervious concrete is not as strong as traditional concrete, as it uses little or no sand.

The Portland cement in the concrete mix acts as a binder, but in the absence of sand is spread too thin over the aggregates.

It is best to utilize the services of an experienced contractor who has previously worked with pervious concrete.

Moreover, pervious concrete driveways should not be used in areas with heavy traffic.

More Susceptible to Clogging:

Pervious concrete can be susceptible to clogging if it is not cleaned regularly.

Dirt and debris can clog the pores of pervious concrete and prevent efficient water percolation through it.
Avoiding the use of salt on the driveway will also help to prevent clogging.

More Expensive to Install Than Traditional Concrete:

Pervious concrete driveways are generally more expensive to install than traditional concrete driveways. However, the long-term savings on water and stormwater management costs can offset the higher upfront cost.

The cost of a pervious concrete driveway is usually higher than that of a traditional concrete driveway.
The additional cost is due to higher material and skilled labor cost.
A pervious concrete driveway takes longer to install than a traditional concrete driveway. This also pushes up the cost.

Installation of a Pervious Concrete Driveway:

Here is a step-by-step installation process of a pervious concrete driveway:

Prepare the subgrade. The subgrade must be properly prepared before the pervious concrete can be placed. This includes removing any debris or vegetation, and compacting the soil to ensure that it is level and free of voids.
Install the edge restraints. Edge restraints are used to prevent the pervious concrete from spreading out beyond the desired area. They can be made from a variety of materials, such as concrete forms, metal edging, or plastic curbing.

Place the pervious concrete mix. The pervious concrete mix is typically placed in two layers. The first layer is a thin layer of sand, which helps to provide a level surface for the pervious concrete. The second layer is the pervious concrete itself.
Compact the pervious concrete. The pervious concrete must be compacted to ensure that it is strong and durable. This can be done by using a roller or a vibrating plate compactor.
Allow the pervious concrete to cure. The pervious concrete must cure for at least seven days before it can be used. During this time, the concrete will harden and become stronger.

Here are the key points to keep in mind when installing a pervious concrete driveway:

Use a pervious concrete mix that is designed for driveways. This type of mix will have the correct porosity and permeability to allow water to drain through the concrete.
Make sure that the subgrade is level and free of voids. This will help to ensure that the pervious concrete is evenly distributed and that it does not crack or sink.

Compact the pervious concrete thoroughly. This will help to make it strong and durable.
Allow the pervious concrete to cure for at least seven days before using it.

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