Assessing the Potential Use of Porous Asphalt Pavements under Timor-Leste's Climatic Conditions
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Timor-Leste’s tropical climate, characterized by high temperatures, strong solar radiation, and seasonal heavy rainfall, poses significant challenges to conventional asphalt pavements, including rutting, moisture damage, and accelerated aging. Porous asphalt pavements, widely adopted in tropical and subtropical regions, offer enhanced drainage capacity and potential environmental benefits. This study evaluates the applicability of porous asphalt under Timor-Leste’s climatic conditions through a narrative literature review of evidence reported in comparable tropical environments. The analysis highlights the hydraulic and thermal advantages of porous asphalt, such as improved stormwater management, reduced hydroplaning risk, and potential mitigation of urban heat accumulation. However, concerns regarding durability, clogging, maintenance requirements, and economic feasibility remain critical. Findings suggest that porous asphalt could contribute to climate-resilient infrastructure in Timor-Leste, but local validation through laboratory testing, pilot-scale field studies, and life-cycle cost assessments is essential before large-scale implementation.
Downloads
References
Ahmad, K. A., Abdullah, M. E., Abdul Hassan, N., Daura, H. A., & Ambak, K. (2017). A review of using porous asphalt pavement as an alternative to conventional pavement in stormwater treatment. World Journal of Engineering, 14(5), 355–362.
Bacon, S. A., Mau, R., Neto, F. M., Williams, R. L., & Turner, N. C. (2016). Effect of climate warming on maize production in Timor-Leste: Interaction with nitrogen supply. Crop & Pasture Science, 67(2), 156–166.
Caro, S., Masad, E., Bhasin, A., Little, D., & Sanchez-Silva, M. (2010). Probabilistic modeling of the effect of air voids on the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures subjected to moisture diffusion. Asphalt Paving Technol, 79, 221–248.
Chen, J.-S., & Yang, C.-H. (2020). Porous asphalt concrete: A review of design, construction, performance and maintenance. International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology, 13, 601–612.
Chiranjeevi, G., & Shankar, S. (2025). Influence of Aggregate Gradation and Pore Structure on Porous Asphalt Mixture Permeability and Resilient Modulus. Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering. https://doi.org/10.22075/jrce.2024.33599.2027
Climate, T.-L. & Weather. (2024). Climate and weather characteristics of Timor-Leste.
Glick, S., Shuler, S., & Guggemos, A. A. (2013). Life Cycle Analysis for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Parking Lot Pavements. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 9(3), 226–236. https://doi.org/10.1080/15578771.2012.714443
Jayakaran, A. D., Knappenberger, T., Stark, J. D., & Hinman, C. (2019). Remediation of Stormwater Pollutants by Porous Asphalt Pavement. Water, 11(3), 520. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11030520
Ji, T., Xiao, L., & Chen, F. (2020). Parametric Analysis of the Drainage Performance of Porous Asphalt Pavement Based on a 3D FEM Method. Scopus, 32(12). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0003468
Jiang, J., Leng, Z., Yang, B., Lu, G., Tan, Z., Han, M., & Dong, Z. (2022). Penetration mechanism of the emulsion-based rejuvenator in damaged porous asphalt mixture: Microstructure characterization and 3D reconstruction. Materials & Design, 221, 111014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2022.111014
Joumblat, R., Al-Smaily, A. M., Melo Neto, O. M., Youssef, A. M., & Soliman, M. R. (2026). Cooling and hydrological performance of porous asphalt pavements: A state-of-the-art review for urban climate resilience. Sustainability, 18(8), 3836.
Kalma, J. D., & Franks, S. W. (2003). Rainfall in arid and semi-arid regions. In Understanding water in a dry environment (pp. 31–80). CRC Press.
Lin, L., Cheng, X., Hu, X., & Pan, P. (2026). Purification performance of zeolite-modified porous asphalt mixtures for pavement runoff treatment. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 24, 05824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2026.e05824
Molyneux, N., Cruz, G. R., Williams, R. L., Andersen, R., & Turner, N. C. (2012). Climate change and population growth in Timor Leste: Implications for food security. Ambio, 41(8), 823–840.
Saha Chowdhury, P., Mullapudi, R. S., & Reddy, M. A. (2022). An Investigation on the Effect of Aging on Chemical and Mechanical Properties of Asphalt Binders. Scopus, 34(10). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0004396
Sha, A., Liu, Z., Jiang, W., Qi, L., Hu, L., Jiao, W., & Barbieri, D. M. (2021). Advances and development trends in eco-friendly pavements. Journal of Road Engineering, 1, 1–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jreng.2021.12.002
Shahnewaz, S. M., Masri, K. A., & Ghani, N. A. A. A. (2021). Porous asphalt modification using different types of additives: A review. Construction, 1(1), 44–53.
Uddin, M. A., Shahabuddin, M., Jameel, M., Rahman, M., Hosen, M. A., Alanazi, F., AbdelMongy, M., & El-kady, M. S. (2025). Sustainable construction practices in urban areas: Innovative materials, technologies, and policies to address environmental challenges. Energy and Buildings, 341, 115831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115831
Watson, C. J. (2011). Sustainable Urban Design Practices that Mitigate Urban Heat Islands and Reduce Energy Consumption.
Ximenes, M., Pratas, J. A., Azevedo, J. M., & Ribeiro, J. (2026). Evaluating the concentration, distribution, and contamination of toxic metals in the urban soil of Dili, Timor-Leste. Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes, 10(2), 520–541.
Zhou, Y., Cheng, Z., Zheng, X., Wang, T., Wu, X., Yu, X., & Xie, S. (2025). A holistic exploration of porous asphalt mixtures: From durability and permeability to low-temperature and functional properties. Heliyon, 11(2).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in our journal are licensed under CC-BY 4.0, which permits authors to retain copyright of their work. This license allows for unrestricted use, sharing, and reproduction of the articles, provided that proper credit is given to the original authors and the source.