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Published on: January 6, 2023
A Study on Heat Storage and Dissipation Efficiency at Permeable Road Pavements
Ching-Che Yang1, Jun-Han Siao1, Wen-Cheng Yeh1
1Department of Civil Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.
Fully permeable pavements offer superior heat storage and dissipation compared to semi-permeable options, effectively mitigating urban heat island effects. A pavement depth of 30 cm is identified as optimal for this purpose.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Urban Planning
- Materials Science
Background:
- Urban heat island (UHI) effect is exacerbated by traditional pavement heat absorption.
- Permeable pavements are explored as a solution to mitigate UHI.
- Understanding heat transfer in permeable pavements is crucial for effective UHI reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the heating and dissipating processes of different permeable road pavement types.
- To compare the thermal performance of semi-permeable and fully permeable pavements.
- To determine an optimal design depth for permeable pavements to alleviate UHI.
Main Methods:
- Field experiment with two permeable pavement configurations (semi-permeable and fully permeable) in Taiwan.
- Installation of temperature sensors at various depths (0 cm to 70 cm).
- Analysis of hourly temperature and weather data using multiple regression modeling.
Main Results:
- Fully permeable pavement demonstrated higher heat storage and dissipation efficiencies than semi-permeable pavement in both winter and summer.
- Temperature variations in permeable pavements significantly decreased beyond a depth of 30 cm.
- The regressed model indicated minimal temperature changes below 30 cm depth.
Conclusions:
- Fully permeable pavements are more effective in managing thermal loads than semi-permeable ones.
- A design depth of 30 cm for permeable road pavements is recommended for effective UHI mitigation.
- This research provides valuable insights for sustainable urban infrastructure design.
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