Mauricio A.

Arizpe-Trevino
Construction Specifications
4/2/2017

Permeable Pavement

Introduction:
When you walk down Frenger mall on a beautiful, sunny day, everything may seem appear to
have been made perfectly for its intended useif you visit that area during a rainstorm, however,
youre in trouble. Due to lack of storm water control measures, Frenger Mall turns into a
dangerous, and powerful stream of water that can injury students and faculty. My plan is to
incorporate a system of Permeable Pavement from Frenger Mall down to Espina Street. The
proper construction of permeable pavement is critical to its long-term performance, so the
construction specifications are listed below.
Materials:
Tools: Once you have
identified a space to work
on (Frenger-Espina), you
will need to get ahold of
the tools to remove
current paving and to
install the new one. These
can include: a
jackhammer, shovel (or
something to excavate
excess dirt), roller/ plate
compactor, and a static
roller. You may need
more tools if these do not
meet your needs, or you
require extra help.
Geotextile: This is required to keep the soil from mixing with the rock and gravel base. Without
it, the permeability would decrease making it just like other pavements.
Rock/ Gravel: The rock and gravel are used to hold the rainwater load long enough for the soil
underneath the rock to absorb water. (Gravel & sandy soil drain fastest, clay drains the slowest).
Paving Stones: These are used to cover up the system and give it a good look, whether it be for
home or commercial use.
Restraints: These hold the paving stones in place to avoid lateral movement during heavy
rainfall.
How to Incorporate/ Install Permeable Pavement:
1.) Find the area that will benefit from permeable pavement.
In order to start, you need to identify where a permeable pavement system will benefit
you the most. We will be applying this to the previously mentioned area of Frenger Mall
to Espina Street. You will also need to consider the soil (if any), how much rain the area
gets, and how much traffic will go over the surface. These factors will determine the type
of soil and gravel you will use, as well as how deep in the ground the system will go.
2.) Remove the old pavement and excavate the excess dirt.
Using a jackhammer, break up the existing pavement and remove the pieces from the
area. Once the area is clear remove excess dirt to the depth calculated in the first step.
Once you have reached a decent depth, use a roller or plate compactor to compact the
soil. This will leave the soil foundation exposed and ready to move to go to the next step.
3.) Install geotextile.
Install the geotextile securely over your compact soil foundation. This will keep the soil
from mixing with the rock and gravel installed in the next step. The exclusion of this step
may result in a decrease of effective depth, resulting in less water absorption and an
inefficient pavement system.
4.) Install the first layer and spread evenly.
Begin to empty the first layer of rock onto the geotextile. Make sure that it is evenly
spread and no more than 6 inches in depth. Once you have made sure you meet these
requirements, compact the rock using a roller as you did with the soil in Step 2.
5.) Repeat Step 4 in layers of 4-6 inches at a time until the desired depth has been reached. Be
sure to evenly spread the rock and compact it with a roller.
6.) Install Pea Gravel.
Install about 2 inches of pea gravel directly onto the top layer of rock. This will act as a
bedding layer for the paving stones.
7.) Lay the paving stones and install the restraints.
Lay paving stones one at a time until your entire area is covered. Once you are satisfied
with the layout, you can install restraints along the edges to avoid movement as well as to
keep runoff on the pavement.
 Sources
Design Criteria for Permeable Pavement. (2017, February 16). Retrieved April 02, 2017, from
https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/Design_criteria_for_permeable_pavement

Virginia DEQ Stormwater Design Specification No. 7: Permeable Pavement Version 1.8. (2011, March
1). Retrieved April 02, 2017, from
http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonPBMPSpecsMarch11/VASWMBMPSpec7PERMEABLEPAVEMENT
.html

Virginia DEQ Stormwater Design Specification No. 7: Permeable Pavement Version 2.0. (2013, January
1). Retrieved April 02, 2017, from Virginia DEQ Stormwater Design Specification No. 7: Permeable
Pavement Version 1.8. (2011, March 1). Retrieved April 02, 2017, from
http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonPBMPSpecsMarch11/VASWMBMPSpec7PERMEABLEPAVEMENT
.html
W. (2016, April 06). How to Install Permeable Pavers. Retrieved April 06, 2017, from
http://www.wikihow.com/Install-Permeable-Pavers
Construction specifications for permeable pavement. (n.d.). Retrieved April 05, 2017, from
https://stormwater.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/Construction_specifications_for_permeable_pavement