New High Strength Water Retaining Interlocking Pavers Block for High Mechanical Performing Pavement and Reducing Runoff

Abstract

Interlocking paver blocks are used widely at low speed traffics road especially surrounding building complexes. Interlocking paver blocks are easy to install and provide aesthetic finishing to the landscape. However, usage of interlocking blocks in large areas reduce ground permeability that lead to higher runoff. New interlocking paver blocks were investigated to reduce runoff and the effect on its mechanical performance. Two types of paver block produced which is paver block with permeable concrete and paver block with void in the center. The results show that the compressive strength for paver block with permeable concrete is averagely higher than paver block with void by 31.5% while the flexural strength of all samples were between 1.0 to 1.7 MPa. Paver block with void recorded highest reduction of runoff compared to paver block with permeable concrete which is 25.5%. This is in line with water infiltration test result. It was concluded that the water retaining performance of paver block increase with increment of void volume and increase in void volume caused reduction on compressive strength of interlocking blocks.