Sudpave Technical Specifications
Sudpave is South Africa's first locally developed and manufactured permeable paving grid, moulded from 100% recycled polypropylene. It is laid over a prepared sub-base and filled with either grass or gravel, allowing rainwater to soak into the ground where it falls instead of running off into overloaded stormwater infrastructure.
Product specification
| Property | Sudpave |
|---|---|
| Material | 100% recycled polypropylene |
| Colour options | Black |
| Paver dimensions | 500 mm × 500 mm × 38 mm, plus 27 mm ground spike |
| Installed paver size | 500 mm × 500 mm – 4 grids per m² |
| Nominal internal cell size | Round 31 mm diameter; castellated 59 mm |
| Structure type | Rigid wall, semi-closed cell construction |
| Cell wall thickness | Top 2 mm, bottom 4 mm |
| Weight (nominal) | 1 kg per grid |
| Open cell area | Base 75%, top 92% |
| Connection type | T-section male / female clip |
| Interlock mechanism | Push locking clip |
| Chemical resistance | Excellent – chemically inert to chemicals naturally found in soils |
| UV resistance | High |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic |
| Maximum slope gradient | 17.6% = 1:5.67 = 10° |
Load bearing and independent testing
Sudpave has been load tested by the CSIR at a loading rate of 15 MPa per minute, at a temperature between 20 °C and 23 °C. Load bearing figures depend on the fill material and on the sub-base beneath the paver – the grid distributes load into a correctly built base course rather than carrying it alone, so the sub-base design matters as much as the paver itself.
For the load rating applicable to a specific project, and for a copy of the CSIR test results, please get in touch.
Where Sudpave is used
- Car parks and overflow parking
- Domestic and commercial driveways
- Emergency and fire access routes
- Aircraft taxiways and helipads
- Wheelchair and disabled access
- Pedestrian walkways
- Golf buggy paths
- SUDS source control
- Equestrian arenas
- Livestock milking parlours
Why permeable paving
Urban growth has expanded the area of roofs, tar and hard paving to the point where stormwater infrastructure can no longer cope, and flooding occurs even under normal rainfall. Permeable paving is a source-control approach to that problem, known as a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) – hence the name Sudpave.
Because rainfall soaks through at the point where it lands, it does not compound downstream run-off, and it recharges ground water and aquifers naturally. Pollutants such as car oil and brake dust are filtered out and broken down by natural microbial action in the soil rather than being washed into streams and rivers.
Next steps
See the Sudpave installation guide for sub-base build-up, laying sequence and finishing for both grass and gravel, or read more about Sudpave and browse the project gallery.
