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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Neither paver blocks nor asphalt are universally more durable. The outcome depends on the pavement system, traffic loads, subgrade, drainage design, installation quality, site exposure and maintenance. For a meaningful comparison, distinguish conventional interlocking pavers from permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP), and PICP from conventional or porous asphalt. PICP can combine a traffic-bearing surface with stormwater storage and modular utility access, but it is not suitable for every road. The available Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sources do not establish a matched service-life or lifecycle-cost winner against asphalt.
First, define what “pavers” and “asphalt” mean
Conventional interlocking concrete pavers typically have sand-filled joints and bedding; FHWA says this arrangement is not very permeable. Permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP) uses concrete units with openings filled by permeable aggregate, over permeable bedding and open-graded base and subbase. Those layers—not just the blocks—form the system that stores and manages water. [FHWA, 2019] [FHWA, 2016]
“Asphalt” also covers different designs. Conventional dense-graded asphalt is generally not intended to drain through its surface; porous asphalt is a separate permeable pavement system. So the useful comparison is a specified PICP road against a specified asphalt design—not all pavers against all asphalt.
How the two compare in practice
| Decision factor | PICP | Conventional asphalt |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic and structure | Can serve some low-speed roads and similar applications when the units, base, subbase and subgrade are designed for anticipated loads and repetitions. FHWA stresses balancing structural capacity with stormwater goals. | Suitability depends on the particular pavement design, traffic, subgrade and construction. The cited FHWA sources do not provide a matched asphalt design or comparative loading result. |
| Drainage | Permeable joints route water into a reservoir layer; the design may infiltrate water into soil, use an underdrain, or control discharge. | Ordinary asphalt roads do not provide PICP-style surface infiltration. Road drainage must be addressed by the chosen design and drainage infrastructure. Porous asphalt is a distinct alternative. |
| Maintenance focus | Requires care for both structural condition and infiltration. Sediment and dust can clog the joints; sweeping or vacuum cleaning may be needed. | The reviewed sources do not establish a comparable maintenance schedule, cost or renewal interval for asphalt. |
| Utility repairs | Units can be lifted and reinstated, which can help where utility access is frequent. This does not establish lower lifetime cost. | The cited sources do not compare asphalt utility-cut repair costs or disruption with PICP. |
| Service life and lifecycle cost | No matched whole-pavement service-life or lifecycle-cost comparison is established by the cited sources. | No matched comparison is established by the cited sources. |
Durability depends on traffic and the whole pavement structure
PICP is a layered pavement, so a durable surface depends on more than the strength of its concrete units. FHWA says design must meet expected traffic loading while achieving stormwater objectives, and that construction quality and proper maintenance are critical to longevity. Relevant inputs include axle loads and repetitions, speed, turning and braking, subgrade strength, layer thickness and the design life.
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FHWA’s 2015 PICP brief describes typical uses as walkways, driveways, parking lots, alleys, low-speed roads and shoulders. It gives posted speeds up to 35 mph and fewer than 1 million 80 kN lifetime ESALs as typical guidance for unstabilized open-graded aggregate bases. It cautions against locations with repeated bus or heavy-truck traffic. Stabilized aggregate or porous asphalt/concrete bases can be designed for higher loading. These figures are guidance in a 2015 brief, not a universal specification or a substitute for current local standards and project engineering. [FHWA, 2015]
That same older brief states a 50-year concrete material life based on field performance. That is a statement about the concrete units, not a service-life guarantee for an entire PICP road, and it cannot be used to claim that a PICP road outlasts asphalt. The cited documents provide no equivalent, matched whole-road comparison across traffic, climate, subgrade, installation and maintenance.
Rank #2
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Drainage is PICP’s clearest point of difference
In PICP, water passes through aggregate-filled joints into bedding and open-graded base and subbase layers, where it can be stored. The design then determines what happens to it. FHWA describes full-infiltration systems for suitable soils, partial-infiltration systems with underdrains where soils accept some water, and lined systems with controlled outlets where infiltration is restricted. An underdrain can remove water that does not infiltrate within the design period. Soil infiltration, groundwater depth, nearby structures and the project’s stormwater goals all affect the design. [FHWA, 2019] [FHWA, 2016]
FHWA’s 2019 PICP brief, citing Borst (2010), reports surface flow rates up to 1,000 inches per hour (2,540 cm per hour). This is a reported surface flow rate, not guaranteed drainage capacity for a particular installation or the whole pavement system.
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FHWA’s 2016 permeable concrete pavement brief reports design pollutant-removal efficiencies on the order of 85 percent for total suspended solids, 35 percent for phosphorus and 30 percent for nitrogen, citing prior studies. These are reported design efficiencies, not guaranteed field outcomes or a direct comparison with asphalt. FHWA also notes that permeable systems do not typically remove dissolved forms of chemicals, salts, metals or nutrients. [FHWA, 2016]
Maintenance means keeping PICP’s joints working
PICP maintenance has two aims: protect pavement structure and preserve infiltration. FHWA identifies sweeping or vacuum cleaning and describes vacuum equipment for restoring infiltration where clogging occurs. Sediment and dust can clog permeable surfaces; the 2015 FHWA brief also warns against winter sand or advises removing it. A site exposed to sediment-laden runoff, construction dust or frequent debris needs a realistic inspection and cleaning plan, not just a permeable specification on paper. [FHWA, 2019] [FHWA, 2015]
Rank #4
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Because PICP is modular, units can be removed and reinstated for repairs, including utility work. FHWA notes that this can avoid the permanent patch appearance associated with conventional utility cuts. That is a repair-access advantage, not proof of lower total maintenance expense. The cited material does not provide an equivalent asphalt maintenance calendar, cost or renewal interval, so a precise upkeep or cost ranking would go beyond the evidence.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose by site conditions, not by a universal ranking
PICP may fit when
- Stormwater storage, infiltration or controlled discharge is an important project objective.
- Traffic and pavement structure can be designed to suit PICP, including any stabilized base needed for the loading.
- Soil, groundwater and nearby structures allow a workable infiltration, underdrain or lined-outlet design.
- The owner can manage sediment exposure and maintain infiltration, and modular access for future utility work is useful.
Another road design may fit better when
- Repeated heavy-truck or bus loading is expected and a suitable PICP structural design has not been established.
- Sediment or dust exposure is difficult to control, or ongoing inspection and vacuum cleaning cannot be supported.
- Site hydrology, groundwater or adjacent structures make the proposed infiltration approach unsuitable and controlled drainage cannot meet the project need.
- The project requires a particular surface or operating performance that has not been established for the proposed PICP design.
FHWA’s 2016 TechBrief sums up the qualification: “Permeable pavements are not suitable for every application, but with the proper design, construction, and maintenance, they provide a low-impact, green alternative that is worth considering.” [FHWA, 2016]
Best Value
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What a fair durability or cost comparison needs
There is no defensible single lifespan or lifecycle-cost verdict in the cited FHWA documents. A project comparison should use the same analysis period and account for traffic and loading, climate, subgrade, construction quality, drainage infrastructure, routine maintenance, utility work and pavement renewal. It should also specify whether the alternatives are conventional asphalt, porous asphalt, conventional pavers or PICP. Without those assumptions, a number for “which lasts longer” or “which costs less over time” can conceal more than it explains.
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