New Concrete Absorbs 1k+ Gallons Of Water Per Minute

Severe storms and blocked up drains mean excessive water on roads, in parking lots, and over walkways. In smaller quantities, these situations are an inconvenience but not terribly damaging. In more severe situations, this flooding can cause tens of thousands of dollars in property damage, shutting down roads, flooding homes, and destroying cars. Drainage systems are the biggest line of defense in these situations, but they alone can't handle the most extreme situations.

To help keep drainage systems from overflowing and concrete areas from filling with water, UK company Tarmac has developed a new type of concrete that is porous and able to soak up (very quickly) 4,000 liters/1,000+ gallons of water in 60 seconds. Sound too crazy to be possible? See it happen in the video below.

The concrete is called Topmix Permeable, and it has an average absorbency of 600 liters per minute per square meter. Large pebbles on the uppermost layer drain the water in near-instant speeds, where it then moves to the secondary "attenuation layer". That latter layer feeds the water into a drainage system that shuttles the water into groundwater reserves.

The concrete is useful in cities and surface applications, however, due to a new surface layer that can handle the abuse that comes from cars and people. Even better, the substance doesn't get as hot as regular concrete, which would help cities stay cooler during hot summer months.

If it all sounds too good to be true, it is...but only if you live somewhere with a winter season that drops below freezing. Due to its porous nature, the freeze/thaw cycles of winter would quickly destroy the surface, meaning it could only be used in consistently warm locations.

VIA: Science Alert