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Making Pervious
Concrete Placement Easy
Using a Novel Admixture System

By Mark A. Bury, BASF Admixtures, Inc.

Christine A. Mawby, BASF Admixtures, Inc.
Dale Fisher, PCI Systems, LLC

Introduction
hough it may be new in some areas of the country, pervious
concrete technology has been utilized since the 1970s in various parts of the U.S. as an alternative to complex drainage
systems and water retention areas. Its most common applications include parking lots, driveways, sidewalks, streets and other light
traffic areas. Recently, there has been renewed interest in pervious concrete due to changes in the U.S. regulatory environment. The EPA recognizes pervious concrete as a Best Management Practice (BMP), and
building owners are realizing better land utilization and LEED credits
with pervious concrete parking lots (Tennis, Michael & Akers 2004).
Pervious concrete consists of portland cement, coarse aggregate,
water and admixtures. The absence of sand in the mix creates voids in
the pore structure which allow water and air to pass through the concrete. Through laboratory and field testing, an admixture system (consisting of a polycarboxylate-based water-reducer, cement hydration
controlling admixture and viscosity-modifying admixture) has been
developed to help in the placement and consolidation of pervious concrete. This paper provides a description of the chemical admixtures
used to improve the mixing, handling and performance of pervious
concrete. Test data is presented, along with two test methods used to
evaluate the hardened performance of pervious concrete. The paper
also contains a case study to illustrate the effects of the admixture
system on the placement of pervious concrete.

Pervious Concrete Challenges

Across the nation, pervious concrete pavements are gaining in popularity as practical stormwater management systems. Both local and
national concrete promotional groups have had successes in projects
using pervious concrete. However, there have been instances in which
claims and expectations regarding pervious concrete have not been
met. For pervious concrete to be successful, it needs to be properly
designed according to appropriate specifications for the application,
and placed by experienced contractors.
Removing the fine aggregate (sand) from the mix designs of pervious concrete mixtures creates a connected void structure in the hardened mix. However, such a mix is harsh and can create problems on
the jobsite through challenges in placement. The open void structure

can create rapid and premature moisture loss, resulting in stiffening and
a very narrow working window for material placement. The low waterto-cementitious materials ratio and lack of fines make discharging the
material difficult and slow, aggravating the already critical placement
window. In addition, real world conditions such as hot weather, low
humidity, travel delays (as the use of pervious concrete increases in metropolitan areas), project congestion and logistics further complicate the
placement of pervious concrete. Concrete producers have reported difficulties in discharging the stiff and rocky mix from the truck, while
contractors have battled a short working time window, the need to retemper, and a labor-intensive effort in placing and compacting pervious
concrete. Chemical admixtures can play a key role in overcoming these
challenges by controlling workability and set times and by improving
the long-term durability of pervious concrete.

Pervious Concrete Admixture System

Through laboratory and field experience, Degussa Admixtures has
identified a system of novel admixtures that helps producers and contractors to overcome the mixing, delivery and placement issues typically
associated with pervious concrete. The pervious concrete admixture system consists of a combination of a polycarboxylate-based mid-range
water-reducing (MRWR) admixture, a hydration controlling admixture
(HCA), and a viscosity-modifying admixture (VMA). When pervious
concrete is placed in areas exposed to certain conditions of freezing and
thawing, an air-entraining admixture should also be used (NRMCA
2004a). Each of the admixtures in the system enhances the performance of the mix in specific ways, leading to a positive overall effect on
the handling and placing of pervious concrete. The role of each admixture component in the system is described below.
MRWR: Achieving a desired strength is sometimes a challenge with
pervious concrete because of its inherently high void content, in the
range of 15 to 25%, which negatively affects strength. Therefore, it is
important to create a strong paste to coarse aggregate bond by maximizing cement hydration with the available cement and water. The
novel polycarboxylate-based MRWR is a superior cement dispersant
that allows pervious concrete to be produced with low water-to-cementitious materials ratios in the range of 0.27 0.30. This relatively high

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level of water reduction and efficient cement dispersion maximizes
the strength potential of pervious concrete mixes. Alternatively, a
polycarboxylate-based high-range water-reducer or lignin-based
MRWR designed for pervious concrete can be used.
HCA: As discussed, pervious concrete has a low water content and
a relatively open void structure. Under these conditions, the cement
paste tends to hydrate quickly and the mix dries out, thereby shortening the available working time required for placement. The use of a
HCA extends the life of fresh pervious concrete mixes by slowing the
rate of hydration. By controlling the rate of hydration, the paste fraction of the pervious concrete remains plastic longer. With a longer
working window for placement, the tendency to retemper the mix on
the job site, which can lead to variability in performance, can be
reduced or eliminated. A dosage of 5 fl oz/cwt (325 mL/100 kg) of
the HCA provides approximately 60 90 minutes of working time at
70F (21.1C) ambient temperature conditions from the time of
batching. The dosage of the HCA can be modified to achieve the
desired level of working time for placement.
VMA: Compared to conventional concrete, pervious concrete is a
harsh mix because it contains little or no fine aggregate. In the
absence of fine aggregate, a unique, commercially available VMA has
been developed to add body and help lubricate pervious concrete
mixes. The result is better flow, faster discharge time from a truck,
and easier placement and compaction of an otherwise dry, harsh mix.
In addition, the use of a VMA provides insurance against paste drain
down. Paste drain down is a condition in which too fluid a cement
paste in pervious concrete migrates to the bottom of the slab, due to
gravity, and seals it. This sealing of the bottom surface makes the pervious concrete functionally useless and can be avoided through use of
a VMA. The VMA also increases compressive and flexural strength in
low compaction pervious concrete mixes by enhancing the paste to
aggregate bond.
It should be noted that while all VMAs alter the rheology, or flow
behavior, of a concrete mix, each VMA can have a differing effect on
the mix based on its specific chemistry. Some VMAs have been used
in pervious concrete with less than desirable results. Certain VMAs
work by binding water in a concrete mix, thereby changing its
viscosity. However, with pervious concrete, this mechanism works
against the system by making the concrete even more difficult to
place because of increased stiffness characteristics. Therefore, it is
important to use an admixture with the appropriate chemistry developed specifically for modifying the rheology of pervious concrete.
The combination of these specific admixtures has significantly
improved the mixing and handling of pervious concrete. As with
most concrete, admixture dosages can be varied to achieve the desired
properties for the application.

Testing Pervious Concrete

Three key performance characteristics have been identified for
pervious concrete. These include density (unit weight), compressive
strength, and void content. Pervious concrete is not specified or
accepted based on strength. Acceptance is usually based on the density (unit weight) of the in-place pavement. The density (unit weight)
of pervious concrete typically ranges from 100 to 125 lb/ft3 (1600 to

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2000 kg/m3). An acceptable tolerance is plus or minus 5 lb/ft3

(80 kg/m3) of the design density. The fresh density (unit weight) of
pervious concrete is measured using the jigging method described in
ASTM C 29 (NRMCA 2004b). The compressive strength of pervious
concrete is usually between 500 and 4,000 psi (3.4 and 27.6 MPa),
depending on the application, and the void content is typically
specified at 15 to 25%. However, because there are currently no standard testing procedures for measuring these parameters, test methods
to determine the compressive strength and void content have
been developed.

Compressive Strength
In practice, pervious concrete is compacted using different equipment and methods compared to those used for conventional concrete.
In general, pervious concrete is either highly compacted by using a
paving machine or a heavy, weighted hand roller, or lightly compacted
using a hand roller with no ballast. The method of compaction chosen
for a given project is dependent on the actual application as well as
the desired strength and void content. Therefore, two methods of
consolidation of cylinders have been developed for testing the
compressive strength of pervious concrete, based on either high or low
compactive effort.
The basic casting method for cylinders to measure the compressive
strength of pervious concrete was developed following verbal communications with Dr. Crouch, professor of civil engineering, Tennessee
Technological University (TTU) in Cookeville, TN. Using 4 in. x 8
in. (100 mm x 200 mm) steel cylinder molds, pervious concrete test
specimens are compacted using a Marshall hammer conforming to
specification AASHTO T 245, and shown in Figure 1. The following
procedures describe the casting of cylinders for pervious concrete.
1) The sample of pervious concrete from which test specimens are
made shall be representative of the entire batch. It shall be
obtained in accordance with Practice C 172.
2) The user has the option of casting test specimens designed to be
placed by either high or low compaction procedures.
a. High Compaction Placement Method: Place the mold on a flat surface. From the sample of concrete obtained in accordance with
Practice C 172, immediately fill the mold in 3 lifts. Using the
Marshall hammer, deliver 26 blows to each layer to consolidate the
concrete as shown in Figure 1. For the third layer, fill the concrete
above the top of the mold prior to consolidation to achieve an
overall cylinder height of approximately 8 in. (200 mm).
b. Low Compaction Placement Method: Place the mold on a flat surface. From the sample of concrete obtained in accordance with
Practice C 172, immediately fill the mold in one lift. Using the
Marshall hammer, deliver 5 blows to consolidate the concrete.
Fill the concrete above the top of the mold prior to consolidation
to achieve an overall cylinder height of approximately 8 in.
(200 mm).
3) Complete sample casting within 20 minutes.
4) Demold the samples after 24 hours and wet cure the samples for a
minimum of 7 days.
5) Cap and test the cylinders using Practice C 617 and test for compressive strength following Standard Test Method C 39.

Figure 1: A Marshall hammer is used to compact

pervious concrete for compressive strength testing.
Void Content

1)

2)
3)

4)
5)

6)
7)

As previously discussed,
typical air void content for
pervious concrete ranges
from 15 to 25%. Effective
air voids, however, are those
that are accessible from the
surface and affect pervious
concrete permeability. To
measure the effective void
content of pervious concrete, the following procedure was developed. The
procedure was adapted
based on the previously published work by Crouch
(Crouch et al. 2003):
Cast 4 in. x 8 in. (100 mm x 200 mm) cylindrical specimens
following the procedures described for making compressive
strength samples for pervious concrete.
After 7 days of moist curing, oven dry the sample to a constant
mass.
Determine the mass of the dry sample to the nearest 0.05 oz. (1
gram). Place the sample into a plastic bag and then insert into a
Instrotek Corelok System, as shown in Figure 2, to vacuum the
air from the sample and seal the bag. Determine the mass of the
sealed sample in the plastic bag to the nearest 0.05 oz. (1 gram).
Place the sealed sample in water and determine the mass of the
sample submerged in the water to the nearest 0.05 oz. (1 gram).
Cut the bag and allow the water to enter the bag and saturate
the pervious concrete for a period of 8 minutes. Determine the
mass of the submerged, water-saturated sample to the nearest
0.05 oz. (1 gram).
Test a minimum of 2 samples for each pervious concrete mix
being evaluated.
Calculate the bulk specific gravity of the pervious concrete as follows:

where:
C= mass of the unsealed sample in water
Ft1= apparent specific gravity of plastic sealing material at 77 F (25C),
when opened underwater, (provided by the manufacturer)
Calculate the effective air void content of the pervious concrete using
equation 3:
Effective Air Void Content (%) = 100 * (1 Gmb/Gmm)
where:
Gmb = bulk specific gravity of the pervious concrete
Gmm =
A
(A C)

Figure 2: A Corelok system is used to vacuum air

from the pervious concrete sample.
Laboratory Test Data
An informal industry survey has indicated that about 80 to 90% of pervious
concrete is placed by hand and uses low
compaction methods during installation.
The use of the unique VMA is designed to
facilitate the ease of pervious concrete
placement by adding body and lubricating
the mix, thus increasing flow, workability
and assisting in the compaction process. To
evaluate the dosage effect of the VMA on
compressive strength and effective void
content of pervious concrete produced
with low compaction, several mixes were
made in the laboratory. The strength and
void contents were measured by using the
test methods described earlier. For this
study, the MRWR and HCA dosages were held constant. These
dosages were determined by trial mixes which showed excellent cement
dispersion and working time. Both the concrete and ambient temperatures were held constant at 70 F (21.1 C) during this evaluation. The
material properties for this study are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Material Properties

Bulk specific gravity =

A
[B E (B A)/Ft]

where:
A = mass of the dry sample in air before sealing
B = mass of the dry sealed sample
E = mass of the sealed sample in water
Ft = apparent specific gravity of the plastic sealing material at 77 F
(25 C), when sealed, (provided by the manufacturer)
Calculate the apparent specific gravity of the pervious concrete as
follows:
Apparent specific gravity =
A
[B C (B A)/Ft1]

Material
Cement

Properties
Type I
Specific Gravity: 3.15

Coarse Aggregate
Particle Shape: Rounded Gravel
Bulk Specific Gravity: 2.61
Dry Rodded Unit Weight: 99.20 lb/ft?
Void Content (ASTM C29): 39%
1 lb/ft3 = 16.02 kg/m3

The design mixture proportions consisted of a cement content of

600 lb/yd3 (356 kg/m3), 2,600 lb/yd3 (1,543 kg/m3) of coarse aggregate,
a water content of 162 lb/yd3 (96 kg/m3), and an air content of 23%.

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Figure 3:
The yielded mixture proportions for this study are shown in Table 2.
Visually, the mixes containing the VMA appeared to have more

Table 2 Mixture Proportions

Material
Cement (lb/yd3)
Coarse Aggregate, #89 (lb/yd3)
Water (lb/yd3)
w/cm
Admixtures
MRWR (fl oz/cwt)
HCA (fl oz/cwt)
VMA (fl oz/cwt)

Mix 1
600
2608
162
0.27

Mix 2
606
2630
163
0.27

Mix 3
600
2608
162
0.27

Mix 4
616
2675
171
0.28

5.0
5.0
0

5.0
5.0
2.0

5.0
5.0
5.0

5.0
5.0
10.0

1 lb/yd3 = 0.5933 kg/m3

1 fl oz/cwt = 65.2 mL/100 kg

body and were more workable than the reference mix without the VMA
present.
The test results from this study, shown in Table 3, indicate that the
density and effective voids of the four mixes were typical of pervious
concrete. The data also indicates that as the dosage of VMA increases,
there is a corresponding increase in both compressive and flexural
strength of the pervious concrete.

Table 3 Test Data

Plastic Properties
Density (Unit Weight) (lb/ft3)
Effective Voids (%)
Hardened Properties
Compressive Strength (psi)
7 day
28 day
Flexural Strength (psi)
28 day

Mix 1
125.0
24.8

Mix 2
125.0
26.4

Mix 3
125.0
25.5

Mix 4
127.0
28.1

1,340
1,670

1,730
2,120

1,600
1,950

2,200
2,200

300

430

500

490

1 lb/ft3 = 16.02 kg/m3

145 psi = 1 MPa

Case Study
Project:
Location:
Date:
Contractor:
Producer:
Details:
Base:
Soil Type:

East Atlanta Library

Atlanta, GA
June, 2005
PCI Systems, LLC
Thomas Concrete
10,000 ft2 (929 m2) / 185 yd3 (141 m3) @ 6 in.
(150 mm) pervious concrete
6 to 24 in. (150 to 610 mm) of #57 stone with
non-woven geo-textile
Clay

Figure 3: Artists rendition of the

East Atlanta Library (see above next column)
For this project, shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the Fulton County
government worked collaboratively with the construction management

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team to specify pervious concrete because of the materials environmental benefits and to facilitate LEED (Leadership in Energy &
Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System certification. LEED certification recognizes building projects that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and meet the highest
performance standards.
There were many constructability concerns on the project,
including ambient temperatures exceeding 90F (32.2C), a small
congested site, and potential travel delays. However, the issue of most
concern was the slope of the parking lot. The parking lot was approximately 60 ft x 170 ft (18 m x 52 m) at a slope of 3-5% along its
length. It consisted of a single travel lane with parking on both sides.
Because there was only a single entry to the parking lot, the strategy
was to place the 20 ft (6.1 m) wide parking stalls from the bottom of
the slope to the top on two different days. On day 3, placement of
the travel lane would be accomplished by backing the ready-mix
trucks up the slope and pouring from the top of the slope down.
Though the positive slope would speed placement of the parking
stalls, the negative slope would hinder the placement of the travel
lane.
For the uphill placements, concrete discharge times of 30 minutes
or less and little re-tempering were expected, but the downhill placement of the travel lane was of concern. It was anticipated that the
pervious concrete would not discharge due to the negative slope of
the travel lane and the relatively flat chute position. Two options were
considered for the downhill placement of the travel lane: use of either
a conveyor or a VMA in the pervious concrete mix. Because conveyers may have a tendency to separate the stone from the cement and
produce an inconsistent finish, the option of using a VMA in the
pervious concrete was chosen.
The placement of the pervious concrete parking lot occurred over
three days. On the first day, 60 yd3 (46 m3) were placed on the first
row of parking stalls with a slope of 3-5%, with placement occurring
from the bottom to the top of the incline. On average, each truck
was re-tempered using 4 to 8 gal (15 to 30 L) of water and discharged in approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
The following day, 60 yd3 (46 m3) were placed on the second row
of parking stalls with a slope of 3%, again being placed from the bottom to the top of the incline. On average, each truck was re-tempered using 8 to 10 gal (30 to 38 L) of water and discharged in
approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
On the third day, 5 yd3 (4 m3) were placed on the travel lane with
a slope of 4%, with placement occurring downhill. However, because

of the negative slope, the pervious concrete would not discharge

easily and the remainder of the placement was cancelled.
On the final day, VMA was introduced into the mix and 63 yd3
(48 m3) were placed on the travel lane with a slope of 4%, pouring
downhill. On average, each truck was discharged in 20 to 25 min
with no re-tempering.
For each days pour, a Bunyan Striker was used to screed and
compact the pervious concrete to 18% voids. A hydration stabilizer
and water reducer were used to facilitate placement and improve
workability.
The combined use of a high quality MRWR, HCA, and VMA
was instrumental to the success of this project.

Figure 4: Close up view of

pervious concrete

Figure 4

Figure 5: Finished pervious

concrete parking lot
(see top picture next column)
Observations
Based on the lab and field data presented in this paper, the following observations can be made.
1. Test methods for determining the compressive strength and effective voids of pervious concrete have been developed.
2. The use of a novel admixture system provides extended working
time and facilitates the ease with which pervious concrete can be
placed.
3. In low compaction placement procedures, the use of the unique
VMA provides an increase in both compressive and flexural
strength of pervious concrete.
4. The case study has shown that in the field, the novel admixture
system helps in the placement and consolidation of pervious concrete.

ASTM C 172 Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete

ASTM C 617 Practice for Capping Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
AASHTO T 245 Resistance to Plastic Flow of Bituminous Mixtures
Using Marshall Apparatus

Citations:
Crouch et al. (2003). Measuring the Effective Air Void Content
of Portland Cement Pervious Pavements. Cement and Concrete
Aggregates, Vol. 25, No. 1, 5 pages.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA).
(2004a). Freeze Thaw Resistance of Pervious Concrete. Silver
Spring, Maryland, May 2004a, 17 pages.
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA).
(2004b). What, Why, and How? Pervious Concrete. Concrete in
Practice Series, CIP 38, Silver Spring, Maryland, 2 pages.
Tennis, P.D., Michael, L., and Akers, D.J. (2004). Pervious
Concrete Pavements. EB302. Portland Cement Association, Skokie,
Illinois, and National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver
Spring, Maryland, 36 pages.

List of Figures:
Figure 1: A Marshall hammer is used to compact pervious concrete
for compressive strength testing.
Figure 2: A Corelok system is used to vacuum air from the pervious
concrete sample.
Figure 3: Artists rendition of the East Atlanta Library
Figure 4: Close up view of pervious concrete
Figure 5: Finished pervious concrete parking lot

Future Work:
The authors believe that additional research is necessary to further develop the compressive strength and effective void test methods
discussed in this paper. Testing is currently underway to examine the
effect of several variables on the test results and to develop a precision
statement for the methods.
Additional work is also underway to further research the effects of
admixtures on the resulting properties of pervious concrete.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

References:
Codes and Standards:
ASTM C 29 Standard Test Method for Bulk Density (Unit
Weight)
ASTM C 39 Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of
Cylindrical Concrete Specimens

List of Tables:
Table 1:
Table 2:
Table 3:

Material Properties
Mixture Proportions
Test Data

To reach the authors, contact:

Mark A. Bury, FACI, Degussa Admixtures, Inc., 23700 Chagrin
Blvd., Beachwood, OH 44122; (216) 839-7266; mark.bury@
degussa.com
Christine A. Mawby, Degussa Admixtures, Inc., 23700 Chagrin
Blvd., Beachwood, OH 44122; (216) 839-7803; christine.mawby@
degussa.com
Dale Fisher - President & CEO, PCI Systems, LLC, 2300 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 250, Alpharetta, GA 30004, (877) 612-0272;
[email protected]

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