When constructing roads, railway tracks, overpasses and bridges, and landscaping areas, strengthening slopes and embankments and protecting them against soil erosion are among the key tasks. Various soil stabilisation methods are available; the optimal option is determined based on the geological characteristics of the base, the degree of soil stability, the slope angle, groundwater and surface water levels, the potential flood risk, precipitation intensity, applied loads and the intended future use of the site.
This article discusses a modern method involving the use of concrete-filled mats from the Techpolymer Group. This method has proven effective in practice for slope stabilisation and engineering protection, including where there is a significant gradient of up to 1:1.
The concrete-filled mat «ТЕХПОЛИМЕР» СТО 56910145-031-2020 – is an enclosed shell made of high-strength woven textile with fixing nodes. When filled with concrete mix, it forms a monolithic concrete structure with specified dimensions and configuration.
A concrete-filled mat laid as a single sheet directly on the surface to be stabilised ensures its integrity and stability. The flexibility of the structure allows the mat to be laid even on highly uneven surfaces and ensures close contact with the soil. The mat's geosynthetic sheet is virtually waterproof and provides excellent protection for the concrete against the damaging effects of moisture and chemical reagents.
Application experience.
In 2020, this technology was used to stabilise the embankment slope on the M5 «Урал» motorway at km 1777+000.
This section of the motorway was subject to erosion caused by water flowing down from the surface.
Work stages:
- Erosion channels were removed, and the embankment base was graded and compacted. Tiers were prepared for securing the concrete-filled mats.
- Anchor trenches were prepared for securing the mats: reinforcing material—a flat geogrid—was laid, and a sufficiently compacted crushed stone cushion was installed. After the trenches were prepared, the mats, stitched together into sheets, were laid on the slope and secured with anchors in the anchor trenches.
- Final embankment finishing. Injection mix was introduced into the mats secured on the slope through cuts in the upper part of the mat using flexible hoses. The mix was supplied by a concrete pump truck. Each mat was filled from the bottom, gradually raising the hoses and withdrawing them from the mat.
As a result, a high-strength engineering structure was constructed, reliably protecting the slope of the M5 «Урал» motorway section against adverse erosion processes, providing resistance to atmospheric factors, environmental safety and a finished aesthetic appearance.
The use of concrete-filled mats makes it possible to create a reliable and durable stabilising layer using a relatively simple and efficient method. This layer can withstand a significant number of hydration–dehydration cycles and temperature fluctuations. The mats can be installed with limited labour requirements. At the same time, large surface areas can be isolated within a short period.
