High-tech pavement that can water trees

TSA is supporting research by the University of Melbourne into the use of recycled tyre-derived products to create urban paving that can, amongst other properties, provide water to nearby trees.

Many Local Governments across the country are reviewing and trialing permeable pavement materials that allow rainwater to soak through the top surface to improve adjacent soil moisture and water nearby trees. In addition to increasing groundwater recharge, permeable pavement can help to reduce surface runoff, decrease the risk of flash flooding, help with treatment of storm-water, and prevent runoff pollution to connected water bodies.

A TSA funded University of Melbourne research project is investigating the suitability of using up to 50% waste tyre products in permeable pavement applications as part of more comprehensive irrigation and storm-water management solutions for urban areas.

Tyre-derived material (TDM) can help to deliver the desired pavement characteristics and could prove to be a very valuable ingredient in meeting a complex engineering challenge.

The aim of TSA investment in the research is to support the use of a very high percentage of TDM (up to 50%) in permeable pavement products, thus providing another opportunity for sustainable management of end-of-life tyres to deliver new products and new jobs.