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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
13:48
Design and Construction of an Urban Runoff Research Facility
Published on: August 8, 2014
Road runoff management using over-the-shoulder infiltration: real-scale experimentation
P Piguet1, A Parriaux, M Bensimon
1Water and Environment, BG Consulting Engineers, 81bis rue de la Châteleine, 1219 Geneva, Switzerland. pascal.piguet@bg-21.com
Summary
The best road shoulder design for diffuse infiltration uses a sodic-bentonite geotextile with a gravel and clay mixture, maximizing runoff to slopes for environmental benefits.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Hydrology
Background:
- A new Swiss policy promotes diffuse infiltration of road runoff into embankment slopes for environmental protection and aquifer recharge.
- Impervious shoulders are crucial to direct road runoff to infiltration slopes, preventing road structure damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of five different road shoulder structures for managing road runoff.
- To identify the most effective shoulder design for maximizing infiltration into embankment slopes.
Main Methods:
- Real-scale testing of five distinct shoulder structures over two years.
- Monitoring hydraulic fluxes through basal collecting devices during natural and artificial precipitation events.
- Assessing infiltration efficiency based on the proportion of runoff directed to infiltration slopes.
Main Results:
- Shoulders with gravel/humus or lawn were ineffective (30-40% runoff to slope).
- Gravel and clay shoulders showed moderate efficiency (approx. 60% runoff).
- Bituminous-coated road base shoulders performed poorly due to permeable coating.
- Sodic-bentonite geotextile shoulders achieved 100% runoff conveyance.
Conclusions:
- A combination of sodic-bentonite geotextile and a gravel/clay mixture is proposed as the optimal shoulder design.
- This design maximizes runoff to infiltration slopes, enhancing soil filtration and environmental conditions near roads.
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