A Systematic Review of the Hydrological, Environmental and Durability Performance of Permeable Pavement Systems

Due to urbanization, large portions of vegetated territory have been replaced by waterproof surfaces. The consequences are greater outflows, lower infiltration, and lower evapotranspiration. Pavement systems made with permeable surfaces allow the infiltration of water, ensuring reduction of runoff volume. In this paper, the methods of analysis of the hydrological and environmental performance of the pavement systems are reviewed in the context of urban drainage and regarding their durability. The purpose is to present an overview of the studies published during the last decade in the field. The Pubmed and Web Science Core Collection electronic databases were used to conduct the scientific literature survey. This generated 1238 papers, of which only 17 met the criteria and were included and discussed in this review. The evidence drawn from the knowledge on which the document is based provides useful critical interpretations of existing studies to progress the current understanding on hydrological performance and environment impacts in terms of conventional pollutant removal efficiency and the current permeable pavement systems.

Automated summary

Urbanization has led to the replacement of vegetated territory by waterproof surfaces, resulting in greater outflows and lower infiltration. Pavement systems with permeable surfaces can reduce runoff volume. This paper reviews the methods of analyzing the hydrological and environmental performance of pavement systems in the context of urban drainage and regarding their durability, based on studies published in the last decade.