Fast draining porous asphalt hybrid car park surface for large logistics centre

This large warehouse and logistics centre in Dunfermline required a new staff car park surface for the external paved areas. Planning requirements meant that a porous system was required to enable sustainable drainage and avoid large scale run-off into the surrounding catchment. The site was in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week so the surface would be in constant use by the 2000 staff employed there. This meant that the final surface would need to be durable as well as providing excellent drainage. Closure for flooding or repairs was not an option. 

After discussions between Luddon the main contractor, Cundall the appointed design engineer and Tarmac’s regional team, ULTISuDS a BBA HAPAS accredited porous asphalt was recommended as the solution. ULTISuDS is designed to help manage surface water. The open structure means that rainwater quickly flows into the pavement and is temporarily held in the aggregate layers which delays discharge into the local catchment. This reduces the risk of local drainage systems becoming overwhelmed after heavy rainfall. It avoids surface water and also reduces ice formation in cold weather, making car park surfaces safer for vehicles and pedestrians. 

Around 2500 tonnes of UltiSuDS was supplied to the site and laid by the contractor Luddon construction. Using ULTISuDS as part of a full infiltration system avoided the need for additional groundwork to install additional drainage systems which reduced costs and avoided extended site closure. The new porous surface was tested shortly after installation as part of a demonstration of the drainage capability of the SuDS system (see video). The results were impressive, with the system performing exactly as designed.