Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2013AL155B

ASSESSMENT OF STORMWATER QUALITY THROUGH POROUS PAVEMENT SYSTEM

Institute: Alabama
Year Established: 2013 Start Date: 2013-03-01 End Date: 2014-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $15,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $33,823

Principal Investigators: Clifford Lange, Michael Hein

Project Summary: In order to assess pavement alternatives, a series of side-by-side comparisons among 6 different paving systems are proposed. Our multi-disciplinary team will provide assessments linking storm water quality, from selected pavement systems. A recently completed custom-built field site on the Auburn University campus will provide side-by-side assessment of pervious and impervious, conventional and experimental paving systems. (See Figure 1) Pavements tested will include conventional concrete and asphalt, pervious concrete and porous asphalt, experimental photocatalytic concrete* (pervious and impervious), and bare soil and vegetated surface controls. Researchers will test the effluent from all pavements for following contaminants: oil and grease, PAH, heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, and Fe), sediments, nutrients (Ammonia-N, TKN, NO3-/NO2-nitrogen, phosphorus), chloride, and TDS. Field monitoring of storm water runoff from impervious slabs and leachate from pervious slabs will include selected contaminants in addition to pH, and alkalinity. Undergraduate and graduate students in Building Science, and Biosystems and Civil Engineering will be involved in generating and studying results. The teaching and training component of this study is significant given the analytical requirements to instrument, monitor, and assess performance differences among treatments. Deliverables include assessment of contaminant loading and removal rates from above treatments. Results will be disseminated as research and outreach presentations at conferences and field day tours and as part of regular university teaching in all academic departments involved.