PORO-CITY - Permeable road pavements with self-compacting porous concrete for climate resilient cities

Proponent: Luca Tefa

The implementation of permeable pavements with porous concrete mitigates the impermeability of urban surfaces. Sidewalks, bike lanes, and local streets made of porous concrete help to restore the natural infiltration processes of rainwater and counteract the heat island phenomenon.

The PORO-CITY project will study and develop self-compacting porous concretes with controlled porosity to ensure adequate and uniform mechanical (strength, stiffness), thermophysical (albedo), and environmental (life cycle assessment) properties.

Following a laboratory study on small simulated systems, porous concrete mixtures with additives will be developed to (i) optimize the setting time and the hardening process, (ii) develop the adhesion of the cement paste to the aggregate surface, and (iii) promote the mutual sliding of the grains in the fresh state. It is also planned to set up a small test pit on the university campus to assess the proposed technology on a real scale.