For about ten years, the use of porous asphalt has grown rapidly in some countries where the material is used for a large part in road surface maintenance works on highly trafficked roads. Some countries even impose porous asphalt on motorways beyond a certain level of traffic. On the other hand, some countries remain very reserved. How should porous asphalt be designed and laid in order to obtain the noise reduction aimed at? How long will the specific functional qualities of porous asphalt wearing courses hold? This question is to be taken separately from the service life in the simple meaning of keeping the integrity of the wearing course.

How should porous asphalt be maintained to ensure winter serviceability, declogging and to carry out local repairs? What are the limits of the field of application of porous asphalt, resulting from the risk of clogging and the particularities of its skid resistance at low speed? How do drivers react on this very comfortable surfacing which looks dry when it rains and tempts them to increase speed? In other words, what is the effect of using porous asphalt on safety?