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UK Ag Student Studies Merits of Environmentally Beneficial
Concrete
UK Ag Student Studies Merits of Environmentally Beneficial
Concrete
By
Aimee Nielson
 LEXINGTON,
Ky., (Nov. 8, 2006) – Paved surfaces are so commonplace that
many people don’t think about how they affect the environment. A
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture graduate student
is studying how a form of porous, or “pervious,” concrete could
benefit rural and urban areas.
“A lot of farmers use concrete on their property and they get a
lot of runoff,” said Joe Luck, graduate student in UK’s
biosystems and agricultural engineering department. “Pervious
concrete could provide a durable surface for animals and
equipment but also reduce runoff. And the neat thing about this
(research) is, I think it could lead into using a product like
pervious concrete to help remove some of those nutrients and
pathogens before they get off the facility and get into the
natural environment and cause some type of pollution.”
Taking several microbiology courses and seeing the effects of
pollutants on the environment prompted Luck’s desire to study
using pervious concrete as a way to protect the environment.
Luck, from Hanson, is working on his master’s degree under the
direction of UK Bioenvironmental Engineering Professor Stephen
Workman, who believes pervious concrete could be beneficial in
urban settings as well.
“In light of the recent storm water problems in Lexington, this
type of material would be great for parking lots and it allows
water to go through rather than run off,” he said. “As far as
agricultural applications, one of the key things is we don’t
want to have nutrients leaving the farm. If we can have
nutrients residing on top of the concrete and the liquid going
through and being treated as it moves through, it will increase
water quality.”
Pervious concrete is porous and has more voids (small holes)
than impervious surfaces, allowing water to naturally move
through it. Yet, it provides a durable surface capable of
supporting livestock – even cars in a parking lot.
Luck and Workman’s research is in conjunction with the Kentucky
Ready Mix Association, Steve Higgins in BAE and Mark Coyne in
the in the UK Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
Recently the Portland Cement Association chose Luck to receive
one of only six educational fellowships awarded by the
association’s education foundation. The $20,000 award helped
Luck purchase materials to further his research and begin to
publish the results.
“My goal is to maybe provide a new way of treating effluent from
animal confinement facilities and animal operations, which we
have a lot of in Kentucky,” Luck said. “That’s one of the major
reasons for this research – to see if there may be a way for
farmers and even large corporations to help reduce pollution.” |
Contact: : Steve Workman, 859-257-3000, ext. 105
Joe Luck, 859-257-3000, ext. 234 |
|
The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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