Variation in Characteristics of Abraded Roadway Particles as a Function of Particle Size: Implications for Water Quality and Drainage

Abstract

Storm-water runoff from highway pavement is capable of mobilizing and transporting a wide gradation of particulates and solids. A significant fraction of this particulate matter is generated from traffic activities, including the abrasion between tires and pavement. Particulate accumulation and characteristics from an urban Interstate pavement site are investigated. The southbound asphalt pavement section studied consisted of four traveled lanes and two paved shoulders with a measured average daily traffic of 110,000. The pavement section has a transverse slope of 0.020 m/m and a longitudinal slope of 0.004 m/m. Recovery of deposited particulate matter indicates that accumulation of particulate matter along the east paved shoulder (the downslope shoulder) is significantly greater than that along the the west paved shoulder (the upslope shoulder) or the pavement. Particles larger than 25 μm were separated mechanically to generate particle size distributions (PSDs) and also to separate particles for further analysis. The east shoulder PSDs were consistently coarser across the entire size gradation than the west shoulder and pavement PSDs. Particle specific gravity ranged from 2.70 to 3.01 g/cm³ across all gradations. Particle specific surface area increased with decreasing particle size for all gradations. In contrast, total particle surface area decreased with decreasing particle size. Integration of metal element concentration (in micrograms per gram) of zinc, copper, cadmium, and lead with the mass fraction of each particle size demonstrates that most of the metal mass is associated with the coarse to mid-range-size particles. Study results are useful for design of roadway drainage appurtenances and water quality control devices that clarify storm water mainly through the separation of particles.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Kobriger

N. P.

, and Geinopolos

. Sources and Migration of Highway Runoff Pollutants. Research Report, Vol. III. Report FHWA/RD-84/059 (PB86-227915). FHWA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., 1984.

Sansalone

J. J.

, Koran

J. M.

, Smithson

J. A.

, and Buchberger

S. G.

. Physical Characteristics of Urban Roadway Solids Transported During Rain Events. Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 124, No. 5, May 1998, pp. 427–440.

Sartor

J. D.

, and Boyd

G. B.

. Water Pollution Aspects of Street Surface Contaminants. Report EPA-R2-72-081 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., 1972, p. 236.

Grottker

Runoff Quality from a Street with Medium Traffic Loading. The Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 59, 1987, pp. 457–466.

Irish

, Lesso

, Barrett

, Malina

, Charbeneau

, and Ward

. An Evaluation of the Factors Affecting the Quality of Highway Runoff in the Austin, Texas Area. Technical Report CRWR 264. University of Texas, Austin, 1995, pp. 1–236.

Thomson

N. R.

, McBean

E. A.

, Snodgrass

, and Monstrenko

I. B.

. Highway Stormwater Runoff Quality: Development of Surrogate Parameter Relationships. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, Vol. 94, 1997, pp. 307–347.

Sansalone

J. J.

, Buchberger

S. G.

, and Koechling

M. T.

. Correlations Between Heavy Metals and Suspended Solids in Highway Runoff: Implications for Control Strategies. In Transportation Research Record 1483, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1995, pp. 112–119.

Price

, and Yonge

. Enhancing Contaminant Removal in Storm-water Detention Basins by Coagulation. In Transportation Research Record 1483, TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., 1995, pp. 105–111.

Xanthopoulos

, and Hahn

H. H.

. Pollutants Attached to Particles from Drainage Areas. The Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 93, 1990, pp. 441–448.

10.

Sansalone

J. J.

, and Buchberger

S. G.

. Partitioning and First Flush of Metals and Solids in Urban Highway Runoff. Journal of the Environmental Engineering Division, ASCE, Vol. 123, No. 2, 1997, pp. 134–143.

11.

Designation D 422-63 (Reapproved 1990), Standard Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils. In Annual Book of Standards, Vol. 04.08, ASTM, Philadelphia, 1990, pp. 10–16.

12.

Carter

D. L.

, Mortland

M. M.

, and Kemper

W. D.

. Specific Surface. In Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wis., 1986.

13.

Carter

D. L.

, Heilman

M. D.

, and Gonzalez

C. L.

. Ethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether for Determining Surface Area of Silicate Minerals. Soil Science, 1965, pp. 356–360.

14.

F400 Specification Sheet. Calgon Carbon Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1995.

15.

Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste. In Physical/Chemical Methods, SW-846, 3rd ed., Final Update. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., 1990.

16.

Malcom

H. R.

Elements of Urban Stormwater Design. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 1989.

17.

Designation D 5550-94, Standard Test Method for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids by Gas Pycnometer. In Annual Book of Standards, Vol. 04.08, ASTM, Philadelphia, 1994, pp. 376–379.

18.

Blake

G. R.

, and Hartge

K. H.

. Particle Density in Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods. American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, Wis., 1986.