Deck construction and performance for impervious surface reduction

Abstract

Decks or boardwalks are frame structures with plank surfaces for bearing pedestrian traffic. They offer a potential addition to the list of surfacing materials that maintain perviousness of land cover in the midst of urban development. In this study, using the same type of analysis used for grate inlets, it was determined that decks' minimum ‘worst case’ permeability is higher than common natural rainfall intensities and at least as high as that of competing permeable surfacing materials. Cost analysis demonstrated that the cost of deck construction is comparable to that of competing permeable surfacing materials. Diverse case studies illustrate that there is experience with decks in a variety of urban settings. Therefore it is recommended that decks be on any list of surfaces available for effectively reducing urban impervious cover, while continuing to limit their application to the traffic types for which they are suited.

Keywords:

• deck
• boardwalk
• permeability
• pervious surface
• cost