Influence of cyclic freezing and thawing on the hydraulic conductivity of selected aggregates used in the construction of green roofs

Abstract

The construction of a green roof requires drainage which ought to be characterized by adequate hydraulic conductivity and be resistant to changing meteorological conditions during the winter period. A properly functioning drainage system guarantees the reliability of the entire green roof system. The article presents studies on the freeze-thaw durability and hydraulic conductivity of selected aggregates applied for constructing green roof drainage systems. The aggregates were subjected to a cyclic freezing and thawing process in 30 and 70 cycles. The obtained results indicate that the conductivity of aggregates studied using the constant head method decreases along with an increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles they were subjected to. This means that the indicator of freeze-thaw durability can have an indicative nature in the assessment of the usefulness of selected aggregates for constructing drainage layers. The conducted studies indicate that the deciding parameter when selecting an aggregate ought to be its hydraulic conductivity, determined accounting for the changes taking place in the freeze-thaw cycles. The equations of changes in the conductivity of aggregates indicated by the authors make it possible to assess them for practical purposes.