Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Thirsty Concrete Absorbs Water

An end to puddles?

Bizarre 'thirsty' concrete sucks up hundreds of gallons of water in less than a minute

Concrete is rarely the most fascinating of subjects, but a strange 'thirsty' version of the material has turned it into something rather compelling.

Topmix Permeable concrete is designed to be a super-absorbent surface covering that allows water to seep through it rather than sitting on top in an attempt to combat flooding.
A video of the material being tested in a car park shows the concrete 'drinking' 880 gallons (4,000 litres) of water in around a minute, with most of it disappearing almost as soon as it hits the ground.

While helping to prevent surface water flooding during storms, the concrete could also help to make roads or cycle paths safer by preventing puddles that could pose a risk, according to Tarmac, which has developed the concrete.

It works by having a permeable layer of concrete on top that allows water to drain through a matrix of relatively large pebbles into a loose base of rubble beneath.

The Company says the permeable concrete is ideal for large areas of concrete where water can be a problem, such as car parks or driveways.

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