Pervious Concrete Cylinder Competition, sponsored by the American Concrete Institute, the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS), The Euclid Chemical Company, and the U.S. Green Building Council® (USGBC)

Part 1: Online Advance Registration (open until September 19, 2011) Closed

Part 2: Official Mixture Design spreadsheet (due October 10, 2011)

Commonly Asked Questions

2011 ACI Pervious Concrete Cylinder Competition Winners
2010 ACI-CMPBS-USGBC Pervious Concrete Competition Winners


Objectives   Back to top

Teams are challenged to apply sustainability concepts and to use their knowledge of concrete mixture design by producing pervious concrete that balances permeability and splitting tensile strength. Teams are additionally challenged to develop a mixture design that develops the highest load-to-cost ratio. A report that documents the team’s cylinder production process and preliminary results is also scored.


Prizes   Back to top

Two prize categories are offered: Load-to-Cost Ratio and Cylinder Performance. First-, second-, and third-place entries in both categories will be awarded a certificate of recognition, will be recognized in Concrete International magazine if space allows, and will be recognized on ACI's Web site. In addition, for each category, the first-place team will receive a $300 award, the second-place team will receive $200, and the third-place team will receive $100.

Each school shall be eligible for only one prize per category.


Resources   Back to top

The pervious concrete portion of this competition uses a falling-head permeameter method (refer to Fig. 1). Information on pervious concrete, including a picture of a similar (but not exact) falling-head permeameter test setup, may be obtained in ACI 522R-06, “Pervious Concrete.” Additional information can also be obtained from ACI 522.1 and ACI 211.3, Appendix 6.

Test Set-up


Rules (approved only for the Fall 2011 competition)   Back to top


  1. Eligibility
    1. Team members shall consist only of high school, technical school, trade school, or undergraduate college or university student(s) at the time of cylinder casting. Undergraduate students on cooperative or internship work assignment are also eligible to compete. All members of a team shall be from the same school. Each school is limited to two teams.
    2. A team is limited to five individuals. A student may not be a member of more than one team. Each team shall submit a single entry into the competition. Each entry is comprised of two pervious concrete cylinders, one electronic report, and one Official Mixture Design spreadsheet, as defined below.
    3. Each team shall have a supervising faculty advisor. The advisor shall be professionally responsible for assuring compliance with the rules of the competition and shall sign the entry forms. Faculty advisors may supervise more than one team.
    4. It is strongly recommended that at least one individual (faculty advisor or student team member) be designated to represent each team and be present during the cylinder testing at the time and location specified for this competition. Participation by additional team members and school members is both permitted and encouraged.
  2. Cylinder Materials and Curing
    All ASTM International specifications listed refer to the most current revision available.
    1. Only materials listed in the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet and described below shall be used.
    2. Cylinders shall use cementitious materials as a binder, as defined in Section 2(b) below. Chemical admixtures meeting ASTM C260, C494, or C1017 may also be used.
    3. Cementitious materials used in the cylinders shall be portland cement meeting ASTM C150, blended cement meeting ASTM C595 and C1157, or expansive cement meeting ASTM C845. The following supplementary cementitious materials may also be used: fly ash or natural pozzolans meeting ASTM C618, silica fume meeting ASTM C1240, and slag cement meeting ASTM C989. Epoxies, glues, and similar binders shall not be used.
    4. All aggregates shall be nonmetallic.
    5. Fibers with a maximum length of 64 mm (2.5 in.) and made of glass, synthetic, or natural materials may be used. Steel fibers shall not be used. Glass fibers shall meet ASTM C1666. Synthetic and natural fibers shall meet the classifications in ASTM C1116, Section 4.1. Fiber materials may be mixed (that is, hybrid fibers) and any dosage rate may be used. No other type of reinforcement may be used.
    6. Cylinders shall be cured at atmospheric pressure and curing temperatures shall not exceed the boiling point of water except to obtain a dry condition prior to submitting the cylinders (refer to Section 3(b)). Steam curing shall not be used.
  3. Cylinder Configuration
    1. Each entry for the competition shall consist of two cylinders. One cylinder will be tested during the competition and both will be kept for verification of compliance with the competition rules if needed. Refer to Section 10.
    2. Cylinders shall be submitted to the competition site in a dry condition (that is, as close to oven dry as reasonable). Teams are cautioned that submitting wet cylinders is disadvantageous. Cylinders will be submerged in water for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to testing once their dry weight is obtained. The dry weight shall be used for mixture design verification, as described in Section 5(a) below.
    3. Cylinders shall be 102 mm (4 in.) in diameter and 152 mm (6 in.) in length with a tolerance of ± 5 mm (0.2 in.) in all dimensions. The 152 mm (6 in.) length shall be obtained by cutting approximately 25 mm (1 in.) from each end of a standard 203 mm long cylinder (that is, a standard 4 x 8 in. cylinder), thus removing less permeable portions of the standard cylinder. The cylinders shall have flat and parallel surfaces at right angles with perpendicular sides and no indentations, cupped edges, fins, or other features to bias surface water flow direction.
    4. Cylinders shall be homogeneous (that is, have the same composition throughout the cylinder) and shall not have been cut from larger sections, except as required in Section 3(c) or modified in any other way.
    5. Each cylinder shall be marked on the top surface in permanent marker with the team’s name and a five-character entry identification marking (same marking for both cylinders in each entry). The marked surface will be considered the top of the cylinder and placed upwards during permeability testing.
    6. Modifications to cylinders are not permitted once submitted for the competition.
  4. Report
    1. Teams shall electronically submit a report meeting the requirements listed in Section 4(b) for the judges to review and score. The electronic version of the report shall be submitted prior to the competition as described below in standard PDF format (NOT in Microsoft Word or similar). The electronic report due date is indicated in Section 9 below. Teams are strongly encouraged to bring a hard copy version of the report to the competition for display during the competition. For the Cylinder Performance prize category, teams failing to submit the electronic version of the report as required shall only receive half of the report section score in the Final Score equation given in Section 7. Teams failing to submit a report (electronic or hard copy) shall receive a zero in the report section of the Final Score equation given in Section 7.
    2. Each report shall contain the following. The judges will score the report using the indicated scoring percentages (based on a total of 100%).
      1. Use standard letter size paper – 5%
      2. Include a cover page containing the following: – 15%
        1. School name and Team name (that is, University of Concrete, Team One)
        2. Team members and faculty advisor names and e-mail addresses
        3. Entry Identification Marking
        4. Picture of school, school logo, or school mascot
      3. Provide a maximum of three pages of pictures (with proper safety equipment being used) and captions showing the methods of the following: – 20%
        1. Batching and placing procedures
        2. Finishing procedures
        3. Curing procedures
        4. Preliminary testing of cylinders, if applicable
      4. Provide a maximum of two pages of narrative, graphs, or flowcharts showing the team’s decision process in selecting the final mixture design – 30%
      5. Materials Selection – 25%
        1. Provide a single picture showing all materials used in the submitted cylinder’s mixture grouped together prior to mixing (that is, measured materials in separate containers showing relative proportions used).
        2. In the picture caption, provide the rationale for material selection, highlighting any sustainable design aspects affecting the decision.
      6. Provide a copy of the official mixture design spreadsheet submitted for the Load-to-Cost Ratio prize category (NOTE: this copy DOES NOT replace required submission of official mixture design spreadsheet in Excel file format indicated in Section 5) – 5%
    3. All reports shall be scored between 0 and 100% using the indicated scoring percentages, with 100% being the best. The entry with the highest score shall receive the top ranking for the report section in the Cylinder Performance prize category.
  5. Load-to-Cost Ratio Prize Category
    1. Teams shall fully complete the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet. The spreadsheet shall be submitted by the deadline indicated below in Microsoft Excel file format to the official contact as described below. Teams are strongly encouraged to have their spreadsheet and mixture design reviewed by an experienced industry professional and/or their supervising faculty advisor prior to submission. The Official Mixture Design spreadsheet will be reviewed by the judges for accuracy and compliance with the rules. Unresolved discrepancies shall be grounds for disqualification (refer to Section 10). The Official Mixture Design spreadsheet shall be adjusted during the competition for actual yield based on the averaged measured dry unit weight of the two submitted cylinders (for example, a unit weight difference between design and actual of 10% will result in a corresponding 10% yield adjustment in the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet).
    2. Teams may lower their cost by using sustainable materials; refer to the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet.
    3. Each entry shall have its load-to-cost ratio calculated during the competition. The load shall be the splitting tensile strength determined in Section 6(d). The cost shall be based on the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet (with any discrepancies resolved to the satisfaction of the judges).
  6. Cylinder Performance Prize Category
    1. The judges shall inspect both pervious concrete cylinders prior to testing to verify compliance with the rules, including dimensional and material requirements. Both cylinders shall comply with the rules and be made from the same batch of concrete (refer to Section 10).
    2. The judges shall randomly select one of the cylinders for testing. All tests shall use the same cylinder.
    3. Permeability Test
      1. All cylinders will be submerged in water once dry unit weight has been obtained for a minimum of 30 minutes. The cylinder selected for testing shall be removed from the water when prepared for testing
      2. The cylinder shall be prepared for testing by the judges (sealed surface on the sides and so on) and placed in the testing apparatus.
      3. Each entry shall be tested for permeability using a falling-head permeameter test setup (refer to Fig. 1). A similar (but not exact) example of a falling-head permeability test can be found in ACI 522R-06, Fig. 4.7. With the valve closed, water shall be poured into the graduated cylinder above the cylinder until the water level remains steady at 230 mm (9 in.) above the cylinder and air pockets are minimized. Time begins when the valve is opened. The test is complete and time is stopped when the water level in the graduated cylinder reaches 25 mm (1 in.). The maximum time limit for the test shall be 2 minutes, after which the water level above the cylinder is recorded. Teams failing to meet the maximum time limit shall be put in descending order based on the lowest water level and then ranked lower than the entries completing the test within the time limit.
      4. The entry requiring the least amount of time to complete the test shall receive the top ranking for the permeability test section of the Cylinder Performance prize category.
    4. Splitting Tensile Strength Test
      1. Each entry shall be tested for splitting tensile strength using ASTM C496, “Standard Test Method for Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens.”
      2. The entry with the highest splitting tensile strength shall receive the top ranking for the splitting tensile strength test section of the Cylinder Performance prize category.
  7. Scoring
    1. Entries in the Cylinder Performance prize category shall be ranked in the permeability test, splitting tensile test, and report sections, as indicated above. The entry with the lowest Final Score as described below shall be declared the winner of the Cylinder Performance prize category. In the case of a tie, the winner shall be the team with the better report ranking; if still tied, the team with the better permeability ranking shall be the winner.

      2.                             FinalScore = (0.45)(P) + (0.45)(S) + (0.10)(R) 
                    Where     P = Overall ranking of entry in the permeability test
                                 S = Overall ranking of entry in the splitting tensile test
                                 R = Overall ranking of entry in the report

    2. Entries in the Load-to-Cost Ratio prize category shall be scored as indicated in Section 5. The entry with the highest load-to-cost ratio shall be declared the winner of the Load-to-Cost Ratio prize category. In the case of a tie, the winner shall be the team with the better sustainability credits; if still tied, the team with the lower cost shall be the winner.
  8. Judging
    1. The judges shall be appointed by the Chair of ACI Committee S801. Judges may be different for each prize category or portions of a prize category.
    2. The judges shall have the power to make the final determination on compliance with the rules and penalties for rule violations up to and including the disqualification of entries, if required. Disqualified entries shall not be included in the scoring or considered for awards but may be tested if time permits (refer to Section 10).
    3. The decision of the judges shall be final and appeals will not be considered. Suggestions for improvement may be submitted to the Chair of ACI Committee S801.
  9. Registration and Submission Requirements
    1. Advance registration is required. Teams shall submit an online advance registration form for their entry. This form shall be submitted to ACI headquarters by September 19, 2011. It indicates the team’s intent to enter the competition. The pervious concrete cylinders will be submitted on the day of the competition.
    2. For students requiring a U.S. entry VISA letter, an invitation letter from ACI will be sent upon request after receiving a completed advance registration online form only IF the school/university is located outside of the U.S. or Canada, AND the team has indicated it plans to attend the convention on the advance registration form. Invitation letters will be e-mailed to the faculty advisor's e-mail address listed on the advance registration form. Hard copies will not be faxed or mailed to the team members or to U.S. embassies.
    3. The electronic report and Official Mixture Design spreadsheet, as described above, shall be submitted via e-mail no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on October 3, 2011, to the official contact listed below. Teams shall be responsible for ensuring their submission is received (that is, e-mail not bounced or returned due to file size restrictions or other problems) and are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for verification prior to the deadline.
    4. Both pervious concrete cylinders, accompanied by a hard copy of the Official Registration Form (in PDF format Get Acrobat), and with the identifying markings clearly displayed on the cylinders, shall be submitted at the competition site in person by no later than 10:00 a.m. local time on the day of the competition. Cylinders arriving past 10:00 a.m. will not be accepted for entry into the competition and will only be tested after the competition is complete, should time permit. The individual bringing the cylinders and registration form to the competition does not have to be a member of the team and does not need to remain in the testing area.
    5. The competition will begin at 11:00 a.m. local time on October 16, 2011.
  10. Compliance with Pervious Concrete Cylinder Competition Rules
    ACI reserves the right to perform a detailed examination and check all entries for compliance with the competition rules, errors (intentional or unintentional) in the Official Mixture Design spreadsheet, and for plagiarism in the report. Due to the complexity of this task, the examination may be done after the competition, if needed. If the examination shows that a team did not follow the rules or plagiarized, the team, their advisor, and all of their school teams may be disqualified. ACI Committee S801 will further document recommendations to disallow the team, their advisor, and/or the school/university from participation in future ACI competitions and submit this to the Student and Young Professional Activities Committee for possible action.
  11. Contact Information
    Michelle Totin
    American Concrete Institute
    38800 Country Club Drive
    Farmington Hills, MI 48331
    Fax: (248) 848-3801
    E-mail: students@concrete.org