TURKEY: Permeable Concrete Solution for Flooded Roads

Click to go to the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association website

Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (TRMCA) in urban areas with increased rainfall, drew attention to the importance of the use of permeable concrete. Emphasizing that floods have been experienced as a result of excessive rainfall in recent years, Yavuz Işık, President-THBB and European Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (ERMCO) stated that permeable concrete helps to protect underground water level by allowing rain and surface runoff to reduce groundwater risks and reduce flood risks. He added that permeable concrete prevents runoff of surface pollutants, curtailing soil erosion.

TRMCA shows the year 1988 as the foundation date for producing and using high-quality concrete in Turkey. TRMCA noted that since 1988, the quality, environment, construction of sustainability and safety applications, and ready-mixed concrete, have all made major contributions to the development of related sectors. Thanks to the use of permeable concrete, rainwater meeting with the underground is of great importance in terms of sustainability and flood prevention.

Işık stated that ready-mixed concrete brings important solutions to our living spaces. He said, “Flood disasters have been experienced in recent years as a result of excessive rainfall. It is possible to prevent such disasters with permeable concrete because permeable concrete, unlike conventional concrete, is a concrete that contains interconnected cavities—using very little-to-no sand or fine aggregates—thus, water permeability creates gaps in the concrete. The use of permeable concrete pavements has numerous environmental and economic benefits.”

Işık continued, “One of the disadvantages of climate change is excessive rainfall. The weather extremes and excessive rains jeopardize the safety of life and property in our cities, particularly in big cities. It is difficult to absorb rain and melting snow in the soil. Permeable concrete allows rain and surface runoff to infiltrate underground, helping to maintain groundwater levels and reducing flood risks. In doing so, it prevents surface contaminants from entering the soil and erosion. Permeable concrete is much more cost-effective than other complex stormwater management systems and can be easily implemented.”

Işık indicated that pervious concrete pavements are ideal for roads and public parking with light vehicles (minimum number of trucks/busses). The “Pervious Concrete Guide” has been developed by TRMCA, with support from the Turkey Ministry of Environment and Urbanism. This Guide is available for permeable concrete decision makers, designers, or practitioners, from the Ministry or TRMCA‘s website.

For the Turkish Ready Mixed Concrete Association (TRMCA), please go to: https://www.thbb.org/en/about-us/about-thbb/

For the RaillyNews Online article, please go to: https://www.raillynews.com/2020/01/permeable-concrete-for-flooding/

For the English translated website of the Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Cevre ve Sehircilik Bakanligi (Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and Urbanism) please go to: https://www.un.org/regularprocess/content/ministry-environment-and-urbanism
or: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmpgm.csb.gov.tr%2Fbutunlesik-kiyi-alanlari-planlamasi-i-4062
or: http://mpgm.csb.gov.tr/butunlesik-kiyi-alanlari-planlamasi-i-4062

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