The Influence of Geotextile Type and Position in a Porous Asphalt Pavement System on Pb (II) Removal from Stormwater

Abstract

Porous asphalt (PA) pavement systems with and without a geotextile layer were investigated in laboratory experiments to determine the impacts of the geotextile layer on the processes leading to lead ion (Pb2+) removal from stormwater runoff. Two types of geotextile membranes that were placed separately at upper and lower levels within the PA systems were tested in an artificial rainfall experiment while using synthetic rainwater. The effect of storage capacity within the system on Pb2+ removal was also investigated. Results indicated that the use of a geotextile layer resulted in a longer delay to the onset of effluent. The non-woven geotextile membrane that was placed below the reservoir course improved the Pb2+ removal rate by 20% over the removal efficiency of the system while using a woven geotextile placed just below the surface but before the choker course. Pb2+ ions were reduced by over 98% in the effluent after being held for 24 h in reservoir storage. Results suggest that temporary storage of stormwater in the reservoir course of a PA system is essential to improving Pb2+ ion removal capability.