STRUCTURAL REINFORCEMENT OF GEOTEXTILES BY HIGH-TENSILE STEEL WIRE MESHES

For a successful and long-term stabilization of natural embankments and new cuttings in loose rock, their effective revegetation is very important. In combination with hydro or dry seeding, so-called three-dimensional erosion control mats made of polypropylene are very effective. On the one hand, the 3D structure reduces the impact energy of raindrops, and the drag force of the draining water is reduced. Geotextiles, which are used as planting aids, usually have only a low strength and are therefore only effective for low slope angles, or in combination with a stabilization measure such as wire mesh. In the last 15 years, meshes made of high-tensile steel wire for slope stabilization in combination with soil nailing have established themselves. They can transfer larger forces and thanks to a very high puncturing resistance are better to introduced the load into the nailing. Their dimensioning for the stabilization of superficial instabilities can be carried out with a design software according to the so-called RUVOLUM concept. In order to increase the range of application of the erosion control mats described above, they were combined during production with a light mesh made of high-tensile steel wire to increase their load bearing capacity to 53 kN/m. They are mainly used as roll-off protection and/or greening aids without nailing to the ground. The experience gained has now been used to produce a product that combines the advantages of high-tensile steel wire mesh and the erosion control mat. Loads of 150 kN/m and puncturing resistances of 180 kN can be introduced into the nailing when using a system spike plate. We show the development and application of both systems. Thanks to the systems described above, it is now possible to efficiently secure steep soil embankments in combination with a soil nailing system and to revegetate depending on the location.