Researcher(s)
- Kioni-Lee Beckford, Civil Engineering, University of Delaware
- Noah Morrison, , University of Delaware
- Prince Aminu, , University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Haritha Malladi, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware
Abstract
Impervious asphalt surfaces contribute to impaired water percolation, increased runoff, localized flooding, and the urban island heat effect. Conventional methods of pavement fracturing involve large-scale machinery that produces fossil fuel emissions, exacerbating environmental degradation. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of tillage radishes as a sustainable method to fracture abandoned impervious asphalt surfaces in an effort to improve the water infiltration rate of the pavement. Our research study objectives were to (1) create an expansive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify the inputs needed for one season of tillage radish growth, (2) designing and validating a mechanism to accurately measure the growth pressure of the crop, and (3) comprehensively evaluating the water infiltration rate of variable asphalt surfaces. OpenLCA software was used to create a life cycle system diagram for one season of growing tillage radishes in a 26.4 ft x 29.3 ft paved parking lot. An early prototype of a device was created to measure the growth pressure of the radish in the vertical and horizontal directions. This prototype utilizes a closed box design with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe cut laterally and springs attached to the exterior of the pipe. Water infiltration testing using the double-ring infiltrometer indicated that unfractured asphalt had a negligible water infiltration rate of 0.5 inches per hour compared to the soil’s initial behavior of 14.75 inches per hour. Our study results support the use of tillage radishes to provide a more eco-conscious solution to achieving asphalt fracturing, shifting away from the traditional industrial techniques that consume more natural resources and further induce ecological decline.