TRANSFORM ASPHALT: Reclaiming urban surfaces for ecological function by Heena Gajjar

TRANSFORM ASPHALT

Reclaiming urban surfaces for ecological function Heena Gajjar

80% Compact Space

4”

6”

ASPHALT

BINDER

BASE

SUB-BASE

SUBGRADE

EARTH

Space

20% Void Space

COMPACTION

2” 2”

50% Compact 50% Void Space

Air (10-20%)

Air

Water

Minerals

(10-20%)

Minerals + Contamination (70-80%)

(10-20%)

(30-45%)

Water

Organic

(10-20%)

(1%)

Organic (2-5%)

Transform Asphalt: is an investigation into the past and present complexities of urban asphalt surface and specifically explores the in-situ regeneration of vacant blackfields into evolving ecologies.

ATED ATMOSPHERE ISOL

ATMOSPHERE

O2 O2

CH4

POLLUTANTS

CH4

CH4 O2

CO2

NO2

CH4

NO2

CO2

NO2

CH4

CH4 CH4

CO2

WATER, HEAT AND NUTRIENT CYCLE REINSTATED O2

CO2

O2 O2

NUTRIENTS

NO2 CH4

NO2 O2

CH4 CO2

CO2

NO2

CH4

CO2

RE ISOLAT ED RHIZOSPHE

O2 CO2

CH4

NO2

CH4

CO2

CH4 O2

NO2

CO2

TRANSFORMED SURFACE CONDITION RESTORES VERTICAL PROCESSES

CO2

IMPERVIOUS ASPHALT HINDERING PROCESSES BETWEEN ATMOSPHERE AND RHIZOSPHERE O2

CH4

CO2 O2

FLOODING

CH4

CO2

NO2

O2 NO2

CH4

CO2

NO2

CO2

O2 NO2

O2 O2

CO2

NO2

CO2

RHIZOSPHERE

Issue: Asphalt has disengaged the relationship between atmosphere and the rhizosphere to such an extent that water, nutrients and heat systems canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t function naturally.

EXTRACTION OF CARBON (RESIDUE FROM THIS PROCESS IS BITUMEN USED AS ASPHALT)

energy intensive process

SEQUESTERING CARBON BACK

6. COMPACTION BREAKER ROOTS

5. INSTIGATE MICROBES

4. BENEFICIAL SPONTANEOUS VEGETATION

3. ACCELERATOR BIOSOLIDS

2. RAPID OXIDATION

TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES

1. INITIATED FRACTURE

Approach: From extraction to afterlife, each stage demands high energy. The proposed in-situ transformation process is a choreographed attenuation where beneficial spontaneous vegetation, instigated microbes, accelerator biosolids and compaction breaker roots are at constant work.

Timeline based on Asphalt Nation - Jane Holtz Kay, 1997

Material history: Asphalt as a material has a long history of political and economic influences that spurred its rapid urban presence in our cities. The timeline suggests various roles asphalt has played and the attention needed towards an in-situ transformation approach.

MIGRATORY PATHS AND FUTURE TRANSFORMATION SITES DEFINE THE URBAN ECOLOGY FOR THE GREAT LAKES RustBelt cities with larger concentrations of vacant asphalt surfaces that have potential to provide necessary conditions required for the migratory birds Atlantic flyway bird migratory path Mississippi flyway bird migratory path

CHICAGO

1,033 acres vacant asphalt along waterways (Source - www.cityofchicago.org)

CLEVELAND

3,570 acres vacant asphalt along waterways (Source - www.cudc.kent.edu)

PRIORITY BIRD SPECIES IN GREAT LAKES ECOLOGY THAT NEEDS ATTENTION Source - www.audubon.org

Least Bittern

Common Moorhen

Pied-billed Grebe

Black crowned Night Heron Little Blue Heron

Yellow crowned Night Heron

American Robin

DETROIT

5,768 acres vacant asphalt along waterways Snowy Egert

King Rail

Black Tern

Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phalarope

Piping Plover

Yellow headed Blackbird

Black Rail

(Source - detroitfuturecity.com)

Regional Approach: The amount of vacant asphalt surfaces in the Rust Belt cities has vastly surpassed the demand for recycling. Overlaying the Rust Belt cities with the bird migratory paths,we start to define the urban ecology of the Great Lakes. High concentration of vacant asphalt sites along the waterways in these cities are waiting for the transformation.

122-ACRES ASPHALT TEST PLOT ALONG THE CALUMET RIVER

1-inch, 24 hour rainfall event

55% runoff = 4 billion gallons

SITE

Tree Cover Grass Cover Buildings Paved Water

CHICAGO: CALUMET INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR WITH HIGH CONCENTRATION OF LARGE ASPHALT SURFACES

OVERLAYING VARIOUS NETWORKS TO DEFINE URBAN ECOLOGY OF CALUMET Natural Area Network (source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources) Hydrology Network Potential Asphalt transformation sites Sites monitored by Calumet wetland working group (source: greatlakes.audubon.org)

Test plot: A 122-acre asphalt site in the historic Chicago-Calumet area owned by Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago serves as a test plot. The potential transformation sites, surrounding remains of the historic marshlands and wetlands and the hydrology network define the urban ecology for Calumet.

Pre 1850’s : Landscape Hydrology

Post 1870’s : Drainage Act

(Reference - James H. Rees, 1851 map)

1920’s : Chicago fire remains filling

1960’s : Industrial waste fills

1980’s : Landfills

2040 : Transformed Blackfields

Asphalt Sub base (2’-6’) Compact fill base (4’-6’) Slag fill (8’-12’)

Fire remains fill (4’-6’)

Peat Muck Soils (5’-6’)

(very poorly drained, pH: 7.9 - 8.4)

(very poorly drained, pH: 9.5 - 10.5)

(poorly drained, pH: 7.3 - 8.0)

Peat Muck Soils (5’-6’) (EXPOSED)

Lacustrine Deposits (poorly drained, pH: 6.1 - 7.8)

Transect representing history of landformation in the Calumet (not to scale) Reference - Calumet Design Guidelines-2004, City of Chicago

Site landformation history: The historic James H. Rees map from 1851 shows the site as an integral system of marshland and wetlands. Transect represents the evolution of increasing pH in the soils that has hindered the survival of native vegetation. Through the transformation process we can reverse the process and reclaim the habitats for migratory birds.

2. TOPOGRAPHIC

Cut

122 acres of Asphalt

Low points

INSTIGATE MICROBES

Spontaneous Vegetation

Bacillus Pseudomonas Acinetobacter

COMPACTION BREAKER ROOTS

3. BIODEGRADATION

Fill

Biosolid compost

Roots+Rhizomes

Islands

Asphalt

BENEFICIAL SPONTANEOUS VEGETATION

High points

Building topography

Cracking Patterns

Marshlands

TRANSFORMATION ACTIONS

1. PHYSICAL

ACCELERATOR BIOSOLIDS

RAPID OXIDATION

Wetlands

TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES

INITIATED FRACTURE

Process based transformation strategy: After the cracks are initiated, a new topography is formed through cut and fill to reintegrate the site as part of the larger hydrological system of marshes and wetlands. Each strategy is combined with natural forces to become an integrated system where one process builds on the other.

Bacterial and Plant Roots Processes Soil Building and Tree Roots Processes

3. BIODEGRADATION - ACCELERATOR BIOSOLIDS, BENEFICIAL SPONTANEOUS VEGETATION, INSTIGATE MICROBES, COMPACTION BREAKER ROOTS

Weathering and Asphalt Breakdown Processes cut and fill topographic formations

2. TOPOGRAPHICAL - RAPID OXIDATION, SEASONS, CARBON BREAKUP

+ 122-acre test plot for transform asphalt

Calumet Industrial Zone Calumet River

1. PHYSICAL - INITIATED FRACTURE, THERMAL ACTIONS, TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS

Transforming the topography: Through physical, topographical and biodegrading actions the topography of the site is transformed to facilitate various ecological processes. Conditions needed for migratory birds are carved out carefully. Transform Asphalt represents not only the visible changes above the ground but also includes sublime organic processes of the underlying layers that is often overlooked.

INPUTS

Solar + Seasons

Temperature Fluctuations

Precipitation

Acceleration

Snow & Rain

BENEFICIAL SPONTANEOUS VEGETATION

Bacteria + Biosolid/ Compost

DECOMPOSITION

High pH in soil

TREE PLANTING

Seasons

Wild + Native

C O2

PROCESS

NH4 PO4 SO4 Fe3

O2 C4

ic rob

M id

CARBON BREAKUP IN GROUND

BUILDING AN ORGANIC GROUND

Cracks Fractures Exposure to elements

Dust Oxidation Freeze/ Thaw cycle

Solar

Water

tion o h f

rb ca ydro

ar bo

So n lua ble Carbo

n tio n Sequestra

PENETRATING THE GROUND

ENRICHING THE GROUND

NOURISHING THE GROUND

Biosolids/ waste Bacteria - soil Biosynthesis

Biodegradation Root penetration Bacteria - roots

Plants dying in winter Bacteria break up carbons Nutrient rich soil

Root penetration Bacteria - soil + roots Water + air exchange

Bacteria

Plants

Organics

Trees

Sub-Base Earth

RESULTS

Base

Asphalt

THERMAL ACTIONS ON GROUND

ida

es cause

p Ra

Bios ynthesis

Oxidation

EFFECTS

H2 O

WEATHERING AND ASPHALT BREAKDOWN PROCESS

BACTERIAL AND PLANT ROOTS PROCESS

SOIL BUILDING AND TREE ROOTS PROCESS

Reference - Microbial Community Structure and Activity under Various Pervious Pavements, 2013 - American Society of Civil Engineers Biodegradation of Asphalt Cement-20 by Aerobic Bacteria, 1989 - American Society for Microbiology

Penetrating blackfields to enrich and nourish the ground throught: Weathering and asphalt breakdown, bacterial and plant roots, and soil building and tree roots processes.

201

5 0-5

ath

erin

YRS 5-8

Asp

halt

Bre

YRS 8-1

akd

roc

ess

10-

Bac

15 Y

teria

l an

lan

t Ro

ots

Pro

15-

20 Y

ces

ses Soil

Buil

din

Tree

20-

25 Y

Roo

ts P

roc

ess

Timeline of Transformation: Curbing the urge to control while facilitating, we step back to allow natural processes to take its shape. The timeline reflects the species and their ever-shifting relationship with each other as well as with their environment. The speculative timeline help to understand the transformation strategies and its outcome over time.

trees facilitate breaking complex nutrients into simpler compounds for microbes to consume

Reference - Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide, Peter Del Tredici, 2010

Tree selection: is based on the ability to build soil, absorb nutrients, provide food - habitat and breeding spaces for wildlife, break compact ground and reduce heat island effect.

2015

2040 The transformational landform is informed by the historic topography to reintegrate the site as part of the prevailing hydrological system of marshes and wetlands. Source - The National Map: Historical Topographic Map Collection, 1926

New meanings: With the renewed interpretation of a process based transformation strategies the unsafe spaces become productive ecological networks.

Engaging with processes: Transform Asphalt will introduce people to the refreshing diversities of a living and breathing landscape, which was formerly percieved as a dead and decaying monotonous blackfield. The creative transformation will offer educational opportunities, cultural identity and ecological health to the region.

PRIORITY BIRDS AT SITE WITH THEIR RECLAIMED SPACES Bird Species

Habitat

Food

Nesting

Indian Ridge Snowy Egert

Marsh

Fish

King Rail

Marsh

Insects

Marshlands

Tree

Natural Trails Ground Heron Pond Park

Forest Islands Forest Islands Marsh

Black Tern

Insects

Floating Wetlands

Marshlands Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Phalarope

Wetland

Insects

Forest Islands Marshlands

Ground

Natural Trails Wetlands Wetlands

Deadstick Pond Yellow headed Blackbird

Marsh

Insects

Shrub

Forest Islands

Calumet River

Natural Trails

Wetlands Black Rail

Marsh

Insects

Ground

Transformed: The instigated natural processes initiate self-evolving ecologies on site to reconnect with the exisiting surrounding ecology. The outcome is a large network of working and evolving landscape that provides habitat, food and breeding grounds for the migratory birds and other wildlife.