The Ultimate Permeable Concrete System that Soaks Up 880 Gallons of Water a Minute

Technology... we love it! But.. but.. what about winter time? Will we have the biggest potholes ever come summer time? Maybe it's not for cold climates. Well, they've already answered that question. According to their site:

Won’t the pavement crack when freezing temperatures are reached?

A permeable design encompasses not just a structural design but also a hydraulic one. This design would be based on many factors such as the design storm event ground permeability and total area to be drained from. This would then normally determine the required thickness of the attenuation layer. (This is basically a storage layer made up of an aggregate with 30-40% voids). It is in this layer that the water would sit, not within the structure of the permeable surface layer so if the water was to freeze it would not have any detrimental effect on this. Ok. Carry on then!...

Topmix Permeable is a fast draining concrete pavement solution that rapidly directs stormwater off streets, parking surfaces, driveways and walkways. This minimises the cost and long-term maintenance for local authorities and developers of stormwater management.

Tarmac

ht: mentalfloss