Interlocking Permeable Paver for Flood Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a one-piece water permeable paver that allows traffic and parking surfaces to be formed with grass growth or aggregate, enabling water permeation, and is made from recycled plastics, addressing issues of flash flooding, environmental pollution, and material waste.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece molded water permeable paver system composed of interlocking plastic units with perforations and integral supports, made from recycled materials, which allows water drainage and soil stabilization, and can be used for various traffic surfaces, including roadways and sidewalks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional impermeable paving materials are used, then traffic surfaces are durable and strong, but water drainage is blocked causing flash flooding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous concrete as the paving material, which contains interconnected voids and channels that allow water to permeate through the surface. This porous structure enables the pavement to function as both a load-bearing surface and a drainage system, eliminating flash flooding while maintaining structural integrity through the engineered pore network.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials combining cementitious binders with aggregate and air-entraining agents to create a material that possesses both mechanical strength for traffic loads and permeability for water drainage. The composite structure integrates the load-bearing matrix with interconnected void spaces, achieving dual functionality.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If permeable paving materials are used, then water drainage is improved, but structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes key parameters of the porous concrete including pore size distribution, void ratio, and aggregate composition to achieve the desired balance between permeability and strength. By carefully controlling the water-cement ratio, air content, and curing conditions, the material attains sufficient compressive and flexural strength while maintaining high water permeability.
Solution Approach 2:
The paving structure exhibits local quality differentiation where the surface layer provides load-bearing capacity while the subsurface layers provide drainage functionality. The pore distribution and material density vary through the thickness to optimize both mechanical performance and hydraulic performance in different zones.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If solid paving surfaces are used, then traffic safety is maintained, but environmental pollution increases due to impeded water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of polluted runoff by allowing water to infiltrate through the permeable surface, where contaminants are naturally filtered by the porous matrix and surrounding soil. This transforms the paving surface from a source of pollution to a treatment system that improves water quality while maintaining traffic functionality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively manages water flow, reduces environmental damage, improves safety, and utilizes recycled materials, creating durable and eco-friendly traffic surfaces that prevent flooding and support natural bioremediation.
Implementation Method 1
a one piece water permeable paver that allows traffic and parking surfaces to be formed that enables grass to grow through the surface or contains aggregate, such as gravel, which allows water to permeate through the traffic and parking surface
Data Source
AI summary
An interlocking traffic tile for a one piece water permeable paver, which has a plurality of connection cells and is configured to support traffic, includes a paver plate with a top side formed over a plurality of intersecting beams. The paver plate has at least one of: a plurality of grooves extending into the top side of the paver plate, a plurality of ribs extending through the top side of the paver plate, and a plurality of perforations extending from the top side of the paver plate. The paver plate has at least one integral interlocking support integrally extending from the plurality of intersecting beams for locking to a connection cell of the one piece water permeable paver. The at least one integral interlocking support has a body, which connects the paver plate to the connection cell of the one piece water permeable paver.