Soil Erosion

Aug 25 2019

Best Uses for Geotextile Fabric

Geotextile fabric is a type of material commonly used in construction and erosion control projects to improve the characteristics of the soil being worked with. This allows construction to take place in locations which might not otherwise be accessible.

Traditionally, geotextile fabrics are made of synthetic materials or combined with asphalt or other non-porous materials to increase their strength and filtration abilities. Non-woven geotextile fabrics are most commonly used to prevent groundwater pollution from construction projects and are also most commonly combined with asphalt, rubber, or other materials.

Geotextile Fabric Uses

Geotextile fabrics have several applied uses:

Protection – Geotextile fabrics are ideal for protecting easily eroded locations, including beaches. Their versatility means they can even be placed underwater if necessary, preventing erosion from wave currents.
Reinforcement – Heavier-density geotextiles can be used to reinforce weak or loose soil in construction sites or areas where the land cannot support agricultural growth on its own.
Filtration – One of the most common uses of geotextile fabric is filtration; that is, allowing water to pass through while keeping sediments from polluting natural water sources.
Separation – Most commonly seen in road construction, geotextile fabric is used to keep different types of soil from mixing. For example, a geotextile fabric layer may be placed between a coarse aggregate and a finer sub-grade aggregate, keeping the two separate and ensuring the stability of both.
Drainage – Another widespread use of geotextile fabrics is drainage. This is different from filtration, as geotextile fabrics used for drainage catch rainwater or other naturally produced water and diffuse it into the soil. This can help prevent flooding.

Using Coir as a Geotextile Fabric

Recent research into using coir, the fibrous part of a coconut’s husk, as a geotextile has shown promising results. Coir fiber is relatively strong and maintains water saturation, which can be essential in drier climates. It’s also cost-effective; the high supply of coir compared to the demand makes coir geotextile fabrics relatively inexpensive.

One of the most substantial benefits of coir as a geotextile fabric is its eco-friendly nature. As a biodegradable geotextile, it adds nutrients to the soil naturally over time while simultaneously encouraging plant growth. It’s resistant to rot, fungus, and bacteria that may otherwise damage or kill plant life, whether it be in your garden or as part of a comprehensive erosion control program.

When used in civil engineering projects, coir geotextile fabrics have been shown to have high durability and strength, resisting compression and adding value to the soil. Coir geotextiles have been used as part of the foundation of both paved and unpaved roads in India, and have also seen great success in slope erosion control and topsoil retention.

Whether you’re using coir on a personal level; for example, to keep your garden healthy and encourage moisture retention, or are hoping for a more eco-friendly alternative to the synthetic geotextiles that are currently available, we highly recommend exploring possible options for coir geotextile fabrics.

Apr 27 2019

Understanding Soil Stabilization

Soil stabilization is a term that denotes the physical, mechanical, biological, chemical, or combined method of changing natural soil for a specific purpose.

Soil may need to be stabilized in order to increase its weight-bearing capabilities or improve its tensile strength. Understanding the various types of permanent and temporary soil stabilization methods is essential for improving load-bearing capacities to support building foundations, road pavements, and other engineered structures.

The Importance of Soil Stabilization

Natural soil doesn’t always have the properties necessary to support construction projects. Unless the soil is stable enough to support a road or building, the structure can easily be washed away by flowing water, especially during a flood or torrential rainfall.

Soil that hasn’t been stabilized tends to contain larger particles than stabilized soil. These larger particles allow the soil to sink, which can result in literal sinkholes due to the soil’s inability to bear the weight of traffic.

With stabilized soil, the particles are crushed into smaller sizes, resulting in a compact soil that holds up well to manmade structures.

Types of Soil Stabilization

There are many materials and methods utilized in stabilizing soil, including:

Electricity.
Geotextiles.
Cement.
Lime.
Bitumen (asphalt).
Chemicals.

Electrical Stabilization

When electricity is used in soil stabilization, a direct current is sent through the soil in order to drain and discharge water. Draining the soil strengthens it, lowers the soil’s water table, creates an anti-seepage curtain, and provides stability to slopes, allowing construction to take place in slide-prone areas, trenches, pits, and quarries.

Electro-osmosis, however, is only used in soil stabilization when no other method is suitable. That’s because the process requires highly sophisticated and specialized equipment along with a high amount of electricity to achieve the desired result.

Geotextile Stabilization

Various types of geotextiles are frequently used in soil stabilization efforts. High-quality geotextiles like coir have been used to control soil erosion, support roads, improve drainage, and promote quick vegetation.

If you’re looking for a natural, eco-friendly method to stabilize soil, these versatile, permeable soil stabilization products are effective, low-cost options. Coir is a geosynthetic made from coconut fiber that can be synthesized for specific applications, allowing it to meet a variety of requirements.

Soil Cement Stabilization

Cement is often used as a low-cost means of preparing foundations for parking areas, highways, residential streets, and airport runways. The technique involves mixing soil with cement and water to form a strong soil-cement. Also known as a cement-treated aggregate base or cement-stabilized base, soil-cement can involve any type of soil and gravel rock combination.

Prior to construction, it’s important to perform laboratory tests to establish the soil’s water requirements, cement content, and compaction.

Testing ensures the soil-cement stabilization mixture has enough durability and strength to last. Soil-cement is made in a central mixing plant or on-site depending on the project, but there are always four steps involved:

Spreading cement.
Mixing.
Compaction.
Curing.

Curing is important for preventing water evaporation and ensuring maximum strength. In most cases, a light coating of bituminous material is used to prevent moisture loss.

Lime Soil Stabilization

Mixing lime with soil can significantly improve construction sites. When the right amount of lime is added to a reactive soil, the soil stabilizes and gains strength through a process called pozzolanic reaction. This chemical reaction converts a silica-rich soil with no cementing properties into a calcium silicate with excellent cementing properties.

In fact, the pozzolanic reaction was the main reaction involved in creating Roman concrete, which was used to build not only ancient roads but also impressive structures like the Pantheon.

Today, lime continues to be used as a trusted method of stabilizing soil via pozzolanic activity. The key is using a reactive soil along with a good mix design protocol to improve the soil’s strength and long-term durability.

Bituminous Soil Stabilization

Bitumen is a black viscous mixture used mainly in roofing and road surfacing. Most people know it as asphalt. The concept of bituminous stabilization is similar to soil-cement. Essentially, a controlled amount of bituminous material is added to soil and mixed to increase its load-bearing capacity and make it water-resistant.

Bitumen is sticky by nature, which helps it hold the compacted soil particles together. The result is a strong layer that prevents groundwater from being absorbed. As such, bitumen is excellent for waterproofing.

Chemical Soil Stabilization

Chemical soil stabilization involves altering the soil’s properties via chemicals like chrome lignin, polymers, sodium chloride, sodium silicate, calcium chloride, and other chemicals. Chemical reactions can cause the soil’s structure to change, removing space between the particles and making it more compact, leaving no room for air or water to penetrate it.

Polymer soil stabilization is a popular chemical technique for geotechnical engineering, agricultural, and construction projects. Adding various polymers to soil can reinforce roadbeds, reduce erosion, support soil structure, increase soil shear strength, and improve water retention.

Soil Stabilization Equipment

Once you know which soil stabilization method to use, you’ll need to invest in the right equipment. Soil stabilization machines are designed with different approaches in mind, and each technique requires different equipment and machinery to get the job done. While your needs may vary, these are some of the most widely used soil stabilization machines.

Integrated Mixers

On sites where dust may pose an issue, an integrated mixer spreads a controlled amount of lime, cement, or other material directly in front of a mixing drum. The binding agent is immediately mixed with the site’s soil, eliminating dust issues and creating a stabilized soil on the spot.

Spreaders

Spreader units are either self-propelled or tractor-towed, but their purpose is to spread all sorts of dry binding agents. Although they’re often called cement spreaders, they can spread large quantities of fly ash, lime, cement, and similar materials with minimal dust.

Cold Planers

Cold planer machines are a low-cost option designed to grind asphalt. Also known as asphalt milling machines, cold planers feature rotating drums that remove and grind surface asphalt. The pavement can then be loaded on a conveyor and removed from the site or mixed with soil.

Reinforcing the soil provides the perfect foundation for a variety of engineering feats. When you choose the proper soil stabilization technique, you can rest assured your construction project will stand the test of time.

Sources:

https://www.civil-engg-world.com/2008/12/electrical-stabilization-of-soil.html

https://www.popsci.com/roman-concrete-can-withstand-seawater

http://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijtet.20170302.12.pdf

http://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3360&context=icchge

https://crrc.unh.edu/sites/crrc.unh.edu/files/media/docs/Workshops/liquid_asphalt/concawe_bitumen.pdf

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/10/3/287/htm

http://asphaltzipper.com/how-it-works/road-repairs/soil-stabilization

https://www.wirtgen.de/en/technologies/application/recycling-soil-stabilization/soil-stabilization/bodenstabilisierung.php

http://precisioncoldplaninginc.com/services/soil-stabilization

Apr 27 2019

The Causes and Effects of Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a type of soil degradation that naturally occurs on all land. There are many causes of soil erosion, most of them being the same as other forms of erosion: namely water, ice, wind, and gravity. The effects of soil erosion can include the loss of fertile land to floods or water pollution, among others.

What Causes Soil Erosion?

According to geoscientist R. P. C. Morgan, soil erosion is usually caused by a mixture of events that naturally occur as well as the influence of human activity, having affected regions such as those bordering the Mediterranean Sea or China for millennia.

The largest cause of soil erosion cannot be linked to a single major event or activity. So which of the following events most contributes to soil erosion? There’s no straight answer, and each situation is different.

Soil erosion is one of the side effects of heavy rain. Massive amounts of water can displace the top part of the soil, dispersing materials such as fine sand particles, organic matter, and silt. If the phenomenon continues over a longer period of time, even heavier sand and gravel particles will be displaced.

The most obvious and dramatic soil movement and erosion occur during short and intense thunderstorms. However, less intense but steady rainfall usually has the same effect, although it’s not as obvious.

Heavy farming is another major cause of soil erosion. Working the land by raising crops and through other agricultural activities will reduce the soil’s overall structure and the levels of organic matter within it, leaving it more vulnerable to the effects of heavy rain.

Tilling is the most significant farming-related factor in soil erosion, as the constant softening of the soil will enable erosion. An article published in Science Direct, “Evolution of the Plow Over 10,000 Years and the Rationale for No-Till Farming,” shows that farms where tilling is not used as a farming practice or is used sporadically, the chances of soil erosion significantly drop.

Another major contributor to soil erosion is the physical shape of a particular piece of land. If the land is on an incline, the slope will facilitate the fast movement of water during rainfalls, oversaturating the soil and greatly contributing to its erosion.

Vegetation helps keep the structure of soils, so the lack of plants and crops on a piece of land is known to contribute to the acceleration of soil erosion. If an area of land is naturally less populated with plants, it can be seen as a clue regarding that particular area’s predisposition for erosion.

Wind is also known to greatly reduce soil quality and cause erosion, especially when paired with another erosion-facilitating factor. Light winds, however, do not do any damage to the soil structure. The types of soils most affected by wind are light and sandy soils, which can be easily lifted and transported onto other plains.

Facts About Human Soil Erosion

Human soil erosion is an ever-increasing factor in the overall erosion and degradation of land. Here are the most important human soil erosion facts:

According to recent studies, human activity causes as much as ten times more soil erosion than all the Earth’s natural processes combined.
Studies made by University of Michigan geologist Bruce Wilkinson show that soil erosion caused by humans is by no means a new phenomenon. In fact, human influence on soil degradation, in general, can be traced back to the beginning of the first millennium. It is estimated that natural erosion affects about 60 feet of land every million years, while soil erosion in agricultural-heavy parts of the United States is estimated at 1,500 feet per million years, largely due to human influence. Other parts of the world show even higher erosion rates.
The effects of deforestation on soil erosion are also massive. Removal of trees without reforestation affects the planet in a number of ways and soil erosion definitely is one of them. First, trees provide the soil with valuable dead organic material, through leaves, animal droppings, and fruit that falls to the ground; all of these help the soil retain its shape. Also, deforestation exposes the soil to rainfall and its resulting effects on the soil. The tree roots also contribute to the overall structure of the soil, further linking deforestation and erosion.

How Does Soil Erosion Affect Streams and Rivers?

The effects of soil erosion stretch beyond the affected lands; they also damage streams and rivers. An article published in the Journal of Hydrology, “An Analysis of the Processes of Riverbank Erosion,” by J.M. Hooke, describes how land displacement causes increased sedimentation and pollution in running waters, clogging them and greatly affecting all the flora and fauna in the area, such as fish and other species.

It also limits the ability of affected rivers and streams to absorb larger amounts of water, increasing the chances of a flood during rains. The narrowing of river canals can also make boat navigation impossible. Soil erosion behind seawalls is also a major issue, as it can cause a seawall to fail, leading to property damage.

Soil Erosion Effects

The effects of soil erosion can range from mild to catastrophic. The biggest effect is definitely the loss of topsoil, the fertile part of the land that can be used to grow plants. This alone can cause food shortages and famine in many parts of the world.

It also leads to further erosion, as the water won’t be as easily dispersed beneath the top part of the soil. Also, the lack of crops will reduce the organic nutrients in the soil, even more, leaving it barren for the long term.

Another major issue caused by soil erosion is possible water contamination and pollution. Since the water can’t be effectively absorbed by the land, runoffs will occur and carry fertilizer or pesticide with them.

The contaminated water can do further damage to the environment by poisoning and killing fish in nearby lakes and rivers. It also can make its way into sources of drinking water, becoming a real threat to the health of nearby populations.

Soil erosion is not a new problem for humankind, but it’s definitely a pressing one. Through careful farming and crop management, water control and drainage, as well as properly educating individuals about the dangers of soil erosion, the problem can gradually be eradicated and more fertile land will become available.

List of sources:

“Soil Erosion and Conservation,” R. P. C. Morgan

“Evolution of the Plow over 10,000 Years and the Rationale for No-Till Farming,” R. La, D.C. Reicosky, J.D. Hanson, Science Direct

“An Analysis of the Processes of Riverbank Erosion,” J.M. Hooke, Journal of Hydrology

Apr 27 2019

Need to Know: Soil Degradation

The soil is a crucial component of agriculture and forestry, and degradation leads to a partial or total decline of its productive capacity. Due to natural hazards or human mismanagement, the soil can lose one or more of its potential ecological functions, leading to a steep decline in its capacity to be used in the production of goods and services.

Defining Soil Degradation

A 2004 report by the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs described soil degradation as a process that occurs when “the balance between the attacking forces of climate and the natural resistance of the terrain against these forces has been broken by human intervention, resulting in a decreased current and/or future capacity of soil to support life”.

Soil degradation is primarily attributed to mismanagement or misuse of the land in domains such as agriculture, industry, or urban planning. Due to its major impact on food growth and consumption and on the environment as a whole, soil degradation causes have been a constant topic of research and concern throughout the 20th and the 21st centuries.

Causes of Soil Degradation

Throughout the world, soil degradation is usually caused by one or more of these three factors:

Physical factors represent the loss of the soil’s life-sustaining qualities due to natural physical forces, mainly water or wind erosion. These physical forces affect the structure of the soil mainly by damaging its top layer and subsequent organic matter, where the nutrients necessary for sustaining growth are found. Long-term exposure to massive rainfall, winds, floods, surface runoff, or any other powerful physical factors leads to the slow decline in the respective soil’s structure and quality. According to Volume 11 of the publication “Advances in Soil Science,” physical degradation can include:
- Compaction and hardsetting, causing densification of soil due to the elimination or reduction of its structural pores, and also increasing soil’s bulk density as a result of natural and manmade factors.
- Desertification caused by erosion and sedimentation due to constant exposure to wind and water.
- Laterization, meaning the desiccation and hardening of plinthitic material.
Chemical factors are the alterations of the soil’s chemical properties that lead to it losing nutrients. University of Chittagong professor Khan Towhid Osman’s book, “Soil Degradation, Conservation and Remediation,” states that chemical degradation of soil can be caused by a number of factors, such as a rise of alkalinity or acidity levels, or simply the oversaturation of the respective soil with water. The result is usually either a buildup of salt or the hardening of the soil, with soil nutrients being irreversibly lost in the process. More than half a billion acres of land are affected by chemical soil erosion throughout the world.
Biological factors refer to human activities or plant growth that cause degradation of soil quality by accentuation compaction, erosion, water runoff, anaerobiosis, nutrient depletion, reduction in SOC pool etc., as described in the book “Soil Degradation in the United States: Extent, Severity, and Trends.” An overaccumulation of fungi or bacteria can, for example, cause biochemical reactions that will drastically reduce the soil’s capacity to grow proper crops. Poor farming practices and overfarming also have the potential to diminish the fertility of the soil by depleting it of nutrients. These farming practices can be excessive cultivation, improper manuring, misuse or overuse of fertilizers, or excessive irrigation, among others.

There are also other factors that can lead to soil degradation. Deforestation will dramatically alter the soil’s composition by removing the vegetation that binds it together. Mining and other industrial activities release toxic substances into the soil, making it poisonous and completely unusable. Also, urbanization will unavoidably affect the soil quality by covering the soil with concrete and with the inevitable rise in pollution levels.

Effects of Soil Degradation

The most significant effect of soil degradation is the loss of a land’s life-sustaining qualities. Throughout the world, more and more land becomes unusable because of factors like soil pollution, contamination, and erosion.

The overuse of fertilizers also keeps the affected land from regenerating, polluting both the land and water in the area and dramatically decreasing land value.

Another major effect of degradation to the soil is its contribution to droughts and the occurrence of arid conditions in certain areas. Soil degradation reduces the biodiversity in the area, leading to desertification and the inevitable drought and aridity that come with it.

The University of Sheffield’s Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures estimates that approximately 40 percent of the world’s agricultural land is unusable because of the loss of soil quality caused by degradation and overuse of agrochemicals. These practices make agriculture impossible, and therefore make the respective land useless.

Due to the alteration of the degraded soil’s physical attributes, one of the consequences is the affected land’s inability to hold massive amounts of water, leading to increased chances of floods occurring.

How Big is the Range of Soil Degradation Observed Between Continents?

Soil degradation is a big issue all over the world, but Africa is by far the most-affected continent. Throughout the African continent, it is estimated that 28 percent of the land is affected by degradation.

This costs the continent as much as 56 billion euros every year. It’s usually manmade, with the lack of fertile land being compensated by mass deforestation, leading to massive soil degradation. It can be reversed, though, with massive state programs and policies that train communities to take better care of the land.

Other areas of the world gravely affected by the degradation of soil are Southeast Asia, Northern and Central Australia, China, and parts of the boreal forests in North America and Siberia.

Solutions for Soil Degradation

The reduction and reversal of soil degradation typically lie in the elimination of manmade causes. Chief among these causes is massive deforestation, and the trend can be reversed by educating populations and governments about the dangers of reckless deforestation. Improving the land’s organic composition and restoring its mineral matter can also reverse soil degradation.

Prevention is also crucial to reducing the amount of land that is affected by soil degradation. Reducing over-irrigation, improving overall irrigation efficiency, and preventing land salinization are all significantly more cost-effective than restoring soil that has already been affected by degradation.

Soil degradation is an issue that affects the entire world in numerous ways. It increases the odds of famine and poverty in already impoverished countries. It also increases the cost and human labor that’s necessary to grow food throughout the world, massively influencing the price and quality of the food that we eat.

Other side effects, from dramatic rises in pollution levels to socio-economic effects like mass migration, also contribute to soil degradation’s status as a major global issue.

Sources:

Advances in Soil Science Vol. 11, Soil Degradation

Soil Degradation, Conservation, and Remediation, Khan Towhid Osman

Soil Degradation in the United States: Extent, Severity, and Trends, Rattan Lal, Terry M. Sobiecki, Thomas Iivari, John M. Kimble

Apr 27 2019

Effective Ways to Control Soil Erosion

Erosion can cause devastating damage to your home, property, or construction site, which is why finding an effective way to control erosion is a primary concern for anyone hoping to preserve a landscape or complete a successful build on solid ground.

Before you tackle the erosion itself, however, it’s important to understand the definition of erosion, what causes erosion, what type of erosion you’re dealing with, and how to choose the best method for controlling it.

What Is Erosion?

You were probably introduced to a rudimentary erosion definition as a kid, but how much do you really know about this complex process?

In a nutshell, scientists define erosion as a process by which the surface of the earth gets worn down either by natural elements like ice and wind or by manmade interactions such as poor land management techniques at a faster rate than the soil or rock is formed.

When only natural elements are involved, erosion is generally a slow process that can create massively impressive formations. The Grand Canyon is an extreme example of steady, prolonged erosion.

Other erosion examples include:

Caves.
Riverbanks.
Coastlines.
Cracks in rocks.
Landslides.

Some of the most devastating types of erosion involve people’s homes and properties. Remember the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s?

The Dust Bowl occurred because people moved to the Great Plains and started plowing the land, which was never ideal for farming. After a few short droughts, people mistakenly believed there would be enough rainfall to sustain future crops, so they broke up the prairie soil and destroyed native grasses in order to plant wheat.

Unfortunately, a 10-year drought settled over the prairie which quickly dried up the topsoil. Once all that freshly planted wheat died, there was nothing left to hold the soil in place.

As a result, a series of dust storms swept through and damaged the prairie’s ecology and agriculture. Entire farms were covered with sand and turned to desert. Cattle were found dead with dust coating their stomachs. Residents coughed up clumps of dirt from breathing in dust. The effect was so extensive that dust storms blew Kansas soil all the way to New York City.

To this day, the prairie region hasn’t fully recovered. And the entire event could have been avoided if settlers had accounted for the region’s history of droughts, utilized different farming methods, and not overworked or stripped the land.

Sure, the Dust Bowl is an extreme example of an erode definition, but it’s given us a clearer understanding of the importance of responsible agricultural practices and construction techniques that can help us become better stewards of our environment.

Types of Erosion

Now that you have a better understanding of this natural process, you’re probably wondering what causes erosion? Land erosion happens in a variety of ways, the main ones being:

Water Erosion
Wind Erosion
Glacier Erosion
Permafrost Erosion
Human Cause Erosion

Water Erosion

Water erosion results from flowing water removing soil material. The soil can be impacted by raindrops, suspended in runoff, or affected by ocean waves. Both the chemicals in the water and the force that make up the flow can break down rocks and change the shape of riverbanks.

There are four types of accelerated water erosion:

Sheet erosion, which occurs when soil particles resting on a downslope are impacted and detached by rainwater. The soil detaches in a sheet-like formation that flows overland as a whole piece or uniform layer. Imagine pulling a sheet of sod across the yard and that’s pretty much what sheet erosion looks like. Sheet erosion typically occurs on sites with poorly consolidated soil material, such as a recently plowed field.
Rill erosion, which refers to soil removal through cutting or tilling numerous channels where runoff can concentrate, resulting in soil loss and eroded fields.
Gully erosion, which results from water cutting into the soil along the flow line, exposing natural drainage-ways, vehicle ruts, animal trails, and crop rows. Common farm equipment cannot cross deep gullies.
Tunnel erosion, which is the movement of excess water through a dispersive subsoil such as old root holes, animal burrows, or surface cracks.

Wind Erosion

Although the wind might not be strong in your area, wind can still transfer light objects like pebbles and rocks until they run into landforms. Over time, these tiny particles can start to erode whatever they hit.

Glacier Erosion

Also known as ice erosion, glacier erosion occurs when huge bodies of ice transfer big chunks of rock. The combination of ice, water, and sediment creates one impressive eroding entity.

Permafrost Erosion

In northern areas of the Northern Hemisphere, there is currently an accelerating problem of the permafrost melting, and eroding into lakes and sinkholes. Permafrost is the historically “permanently frozen soil”. The frozen ice is actually a constituent of the soil itself, lending structure and rigidity to the silt-rich soil.

Due to climate change, the ice is melting, leaving a very unstable layer of loamy or silty soil which is carbon-rich and contains ancient microorganisms. As the microorganisms reanimate, they produce gases such as methane, which erupt from the soil and create voids which fill with melted water and quickly form new lakes or sinkholes. The Siberian tundra is currently experiencing this phenomena at an unprecedented rate; primarily due to climate change.

Human Cause Erosion

Soil erosion occurs a number of ways. The most egregious would be human-induced causes. These include construction, faulty farming (tillage), mining, deforestation, overzealous herbicide use, and cattle overgrazing. The usage of herbicides or allowing livestock to overgraze cause ground cover vegetation to die, leaving bare soil. The bare soil is easily eroded away by natural means.

Something as simple as not utilizing appropriate engineering principals or procrastinating with erosion mitigation utilities on ditches or roadways will inevitably lead to natural erosion. The natural causes of soil erosion would include precipitation, wind velocity, soil characteristics, hydrology, and slope gradients. The eroded topsoil will ultimately inundate the planned drain system perhaps leading to enormous damages to surrounding land.

5 Ways to Prevent Erosion

Fortunately, there are effective ways to control erosion. Your specific solution will depend on the factors causing the erosion as well as its severity. Taking these erosion control measures can help minimize construction costs and keep your home safe from harm.

Coir Products

Coir is a type of material made from natural coconut fibers that are ideal for erosion control. Coir erosion products are available in numerous shapes and sizes, including mats, blocks, wattles, logs, and silt checks. They’re so effective, in fact, that coir has been used to control coastal and riverbank erosion. Plus, since they’re all-natural, coir products are a more aesthetically pleasing choice than most erosion prevention measures.

Articulated Concrete Blocks

While not as natural as coir, concrete blocks are available in just as many shapes and sizes. They can even form interconnected grids to prevent erosion on waterway embankments. The biggest downside to articulated concrete blocks, however, is that they look best protecting manmade structures like boat ramps and channels.

Dust Control

Utilizing dust control methods like silt fences and misted water keeps topsoil moist enough to resist dreaded wind erosion.

Riprap

Riprap is a common erosion control method that uses large, interlocking stones as barriers. These structures are mainly placed on unstable slopes with seepage issues that have already eroded.

Soil Nails

One of the more surprising methods of erosion prevention is soil nailing, which involves drilling and placing steel bars deep into the soil and capping them with a facing that creates a retaining wall.

No matter the causes of erosion you’re dealing with, finding the right prevention technique is key. If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly, superior performing, cost effective and affordable option, consider coir-based erosion products.