Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Reasons And Methods For Slope Stabilization

By Scott Thomas


Many situations require inventive and creative methods to provide a fix to a specific problem. Slope stabilization is one of those types of fixes that use varying methods in order to prevent erosion, falling rocks, and assist with building roads and houses in hilly areas. Anytime construction is performed in an area with a lot of ups and downs, there is a chance that things may not stay where they should. This is where these techniques and technologies are employed to assist with the job.

Rivers are not the only places that experience erosion. They absolutely have problems with this if the vegetation has been removed from their banks. Hills and mountains where roads are built can also have a problem with water washing away the soil and rocks. Homes built on a slope can have their foundations washed out, destroying the building. These are beautiful places, but they can be devastating when something goes wrong.

Creating a slope or new hill is a challenge that landscapers are familiar with. They do this type of work all the time and have to use measures to keep the new fixtures in place. To do this, they use webbing and plants that will grow intricate root systems to stabilize the soil deep down.

Mud and rock slides are often in the news during rainy months. They often occur near highways but can be present in areas with homes as well. The heavy rains raise the water table, making the ground underneath become unstable. As this increases, eventually the topsoil gives way and a mudslide occurs. Though this is a problem every year, it would be worse if the road crews hadn't already considered this and put in place the things needed to keep them from getting worse.

Construction crews consider options when building roads. They have to consider the terrain and make decisions based on the possibility of future events. Rains will come and cause instability. They'll remove rocks and trees that are a risk, but they can't remove it all. Instead, they'll employ different methods of holding the rocks in place. Some areas will have heavy gauge wires and nets to hold them in place with bolts driven deep into the rocks to prevent them from coming out.

An effective and natural way of accomplishing this is by planting vegetation that is natural to the area. Since the climate will affect the ability of the grass, shrubs, moss, or trees to grow, the best choices are those that are already growing in the area. Part of the process is giving the newly planted material time to take root. If you've ever repotted a plant, you know how much the roots will wind through the soil and pack it together. This is the effect that is desired when trying to use natural growth to prevent slides.

There are lots of methods available. Rocky areas need to have stronger materials and bolts to hold it in place. For other types of situations, natural grasses, trees, and shrubs can be used. Moss is also used a lot with rocks to help hold them together and make a stronger bond. Reducing the angle of the slope can help as well.

Concerns about erosion, rock falls, mudslides, and other natural disasters that occur near homes and highways is always high. Using the appropriate available technologies and methods can mitigate these concerns and provide a more stable environment that is safer and natural. These methods often include adding various natural plants to the surrounding slopes in order to help keep them stable.




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