Characterization of permeable pavement materials based on recycled rubber and chitosan

A variety of composite permeable pavement materials were prepared from crumb rubber embedded in a matrix of the biopolymer chitosan, which is a waste product of the seafood industry. We have characterized the hydraulic conductivity, mechanical properties, and the capability of these materials to remove particulate and dissolved pollutants (including zinc) from water. The dependence of material properties on process parameters such as binding polymer content differs from what is typical of binder-based permeable pavement, due to the mechanism by which chitosan is introduced, and in many cases the stability of the composite material increases with decreased binding polymer content.