Water can significantly damage pavement by causing debris or mud flows, which block structures and lead to flooding. Thermal expansion can result in buckling, and chemical reactions from substances like acid rain and glyphosate can further degrade pavements. An increase in flood events has made this damage more frequent.
Water can cause significant damage to pavement by mechanisms such as debris flow or mud flow when slope material becomes saturated. As the slurry of rock and mud moves, it can carry along objects, leading to blocked bridges and flood paths. Another issue with pavements is the effect of thermal expansion, where on hot days, if pavements lack sufficient expansion joints, they can buckle.
This is similarly true for a number of materials and structures exposed to temperature variations, including power lines, plaster walls, and cooking pans. Additionally, acid rain contributes to environmental damage by making soil and water acidic, which can degrade pavement materials through chemical reactions.
In urban areas, the use of glyphosate for weed control on pavements can lead to contamination of surface water when up to 24% of applied glyphosate is run off by water. This correlates with broader environmental concerns, such as global warming and the associated rise in sea levels due to thermal expansion of sea water.
An overall increase in flood events has been documented over decades, affecting not only natural environments but also engineered structures like pavements. Pavements may also suffer from damages due to soil saturation under extreme water levels and heavy rainfalls, akin to crop fields experiencing waterlogging or submergence.