Erosion Control

Overview

1. Introduction
2. Erosion control products
3. Field of application
4. Standards
5. Case studies & test reports
6. Designing with Enkamat
7. Rest of Bonar erosion control solutions
Introduction

Erosion?

Wikipedia:
“Erosion is the process of natural forces moving rocks and soil.
Rocks and soil can be referred to as earth materials.

The natural forces that make erosion happen are water, wind,
ice, and gravity”
Introduction

The role of vegetation

On many slopes vegetative cover provides a natural erosion

protection with the root matrix both by bonding the surface soil
together and deeper tap roots cutting across potential slip
surfaces and failure planes. Vegetation also draws water from
the soil forming a natural drainage source improving the soils
strength.

Vegetation does however fail, it may die back through toxicity

or drought or simply seasonal variations and slope failures do
occur which is where man made erosion protection comes in.
Often working in conjunction with and supporting vegetation.
Introduction

Types of erosion
 Rainfall

Splash erosion
- Impact of falling raindrops creates
small crater in soil => transport of soil

Rill erosion
- Development of small flow paths
Introduction

Types of erosion
 Rainfall

Gully erosion
- Runoff water accumulates in great
channels and removes soil
Introduction

Types of erosion
 High flow erosion

- water flow creates transport of soil

- Areas of abrasion and of
deposoition
- increasing flow rate, gradient
and/or water volume means more
erosion
Introduction

Types of erosion
 Coastal erosion along lakes and
sea

- waves and wind deform coastline

- Areas with abrasion and

deposition
Introduction

- Erosion = a natural process for millions of years

- Reasons are rainfall, waterflow, wind….
- Causing negative effects to mankind structures
- Danger and risk for humans, agriculture, buildings…

- The Solution: erosion control products

2. Erosion control products
Erosion control systems

• Different types of erosion control systems / solutions are used.

• Commonly used are bioengineering (straw & coastal grass

protection), heavy solutions (gabions, concrete blocks) and
„roll mats“ (Enkamat)

• principle difference of 2 types of “roll mats”

• Organic / biodegradable products
short-term (months => +/- 3 years)
• geosynthetic products
long-term (immediate => more than 3 years )

11
Erosion control systems

Erosion
control
products

Synthetic Organic
products products

High tensile Open Closed

3D- Geocells / Fashines /
strength structures surface
structures others others
products products products
 Products - Bonar

3D-Mat Enkamat
green, PP black, PA
 Products - Bonar

Enkamat A20
Enkamat W
Enkamat +
Enkamat + woven PP or PET chippings + bitumen
Products - Bonar

Enkamat J
Enkamat + jute
Products - Bonar

Armater geocell
grey, PET + PA
 Products - others

Maccaferri Huesker
MacMat Fortrac 3D
 Products - others

Tenax Tensar
Multimat TensarMat
Products - others

TEMA Naue
K Mat L Secumat
Products - others

Tenax Huikwang
Tenweb 4/300 Huitex Geocell 75a
Products - others

Seven States Intermas

Seven cell Trinter / Trinter R
Products - others

NAG / IGG NAG / IGG

Vmax³ P550
Vmax³ C350
Products - others

Net made of jute

Mat made of straw with
PP-net
Products - others

Mat made of coconut Mat made of coconut

fibres with PP-fibre
fibres with jute-fibre
Products - others

Mat made of wood Mat made of seaweed

fibre with PP-net
with PP-net
Products - others

Fascine made of sheep Multilayer mat made of

wool with jute-net
coconut fibers + PP-
structure + PE-net
Products - others

„Others“: Hydroseeding
3. Field of application
Field of application of Enkamat

 Slopes in road construction and

landscaping
(„dry slopes“)

 Protect the vegetation

 Protect surface of slope against

- Rainfall drops
- Water run off

 Avoid splash and rill erosion

 The problem The solution

Page 30 of 40
 Installation of Enkamat

1 2 3

300

200

excavate lay secure overlaps

200

4 5 6

intermediate
pinning seed topsoil fill

Page 31 of 40
Field of application of Enkamat

 Front wall protection in

geosynthetic reinforced earth
constructions (wrap around walls)

• Protect the vegetation and

surface against
- Soil loss
- Rainfall
- Run off
Field of application of Enkamat

 Support layer between steep

fragmented rock slopes
and steel mesh

 „support layer“ for plants

- Retention of soil
- Grip layer for roots

 Mostly combined with

hydroseeding
What is Enkamat?

Enkamat is a geomat (EN ISO 10 318)

• a three dimensional erosion control
matting, with an open space of over
95%
• made of Polyamide monofilaments
with high UV resistance,
• welded together where they cross.
• standard mat thicknesses: 10 & 20
mm
• standard roll width: 1m, 1.95m, 3.85m
• standard codes: Enkamat 7010/1,
7010/2, 7010/4, 7020/1, 7020/2, 7020/4
7018, 7220 (flatback)
 Enkamat types

Product thicknesses

Type Nominal Thickness Thickness

thickness
at 0.5 kPa at 2.0 kPa
(EN ISO 9863-1)
mm mm mm
(mean value)

7010 10 10 ± 1 9

7018 18 17 ± 1 13

7020 20 17

7220 18 16 ± 1 14
Field of application of Enkamat W

 On top of geomembranes in
basins, reservoirs, covered earth
walls

• Protect the cover soil layer from

sliding
 Enkamat W

information in the product name.

Example: Enkamat 7010W/5/80.30PP

7010 = Enkamat 7010

W = stitched composite with a reinforcement layer
(for use as reinforced griplayer)
5 = width indication 5 m
80.30PP = reinforcement layer

in which:
80.30 = strength in kN/m in MD and CMD
PP = polymer of fabric (polypropylene)

Page 37 of 40
Field of application of Enkamat A20

 Water contact area of small rivers

and lakes

• Protect vegetation & surface of

slope against
- Waterflow
- Waves
- Run off
 Enkamat A20

Enkamat A20 is a factory-produced 7225/5 with permeable stone

chippings bound with bitumen.

Characteristics
• provides instant protection against high water velocities and still
favors establishment of vegetation
• high water permeability
• heavy material (20 kg/m2)
• can be laid in running water
• flexible protection which follows settlements
• the protection improves in time with the
strengthening of the vegetation
• more than 35 years proven performance in UK
4. Standards
 Standards - Europe

• Currently different organisations working on standard or „rules“

 CEN - TC189 WG1 (Ad hoc Group: Surface Erosion Control)

leaded by SKZ, Mr. Zanzinger (chairman)

focus on tests

 FGSV (Arbeitskreis 5.4.1 Erosionsschutz und Begrünungshilfen)

leaded by Prof. Saathoff
focus on support for designer

 EFEB (Europäischer Fachverband für Erosionsschutz und Begrünung)

leaded by biodegradible product traders
no focus
 Standards - Europe

• Still not regulated are:

 A Standardized technical approach

large differences between geosynthetics and organic products / users

 Standardized tests

available for geosynthetics; nothing for the others

 Comparable specific values

organic products have no constant standard values

values depends on time and climatic environmental

 Standards - Europe

• Currently there are already testing standards for geosynthetics:

• Mass per unit area EN ISO 9864
• Tensile strength EN ISO 10319
• Elongation at tensile strength EN ISO 13426-1
• Compressive behaviour EN ISO 25619-2
• Water flow capacity in their plane EN ISO 12958
• Water flow capacity normal to the plane EN ISO 11058
• Resistance to weathering EN 12224
• Reaction to fire EN ISO 11925

• Are ALL these testings really relevant or significant for erosion control
products?
5. Case studies & test reports
Evaluation of maximum flow velocity

• Testing of Enkamat in Denver USA at Engineering Research Center

at Colorado State University in 2011

• Flow channel with length of 12 m

• Gradient of 1:2 (V:H)

• Length of testing time 1 hour

• 5 different flow rates

• Tested according ASTM

Evaluation of maximum flow velocity

Test at flow channel Preparation

Evaluation of maximum flow velocity

Situation of overtopping Control after overtopping

Evaluation of maximum flow velocity

Test results

• flow rates between 0,28 and 2,4 m³/s

• Flow velocities between 2,6 and 6,4 m/s

• Critical shear stress between 300 and 800 N/m²

Dredged material Sand Dyke project

- 2013 EU-project

- University of Rostock (D) and Gdansk (PL)

- Different types of dykes made of

dredged material from Baltic Sea area

- Enkamat as erosion control mat

- Project is still running

- Results available in 2014

- (Not allowed to use data at the moment)

Case study # 2

Project: Poland
Highway S2

situation:

- Installation during winter time and freeze

- Hydroseeded!!
Case study # 2

Requirements to the product:

- Light weight,

- Permanent protection

- Enviromental harmless

- Low carbon footprint

- Installation during frost

Resistance against UV

Why resistance against UV-light?

• UV-radiation changes behavior of synthetics („aging“)

• Material

- changes color

- loose tensile strength

- getting brittle

• At the end erosion control products loose their function

Resistance against UV

EN 12224: Geotextiles and geotextile related products –

Determination of the resistance to weathering

ASTM-D4355: Standard Test Method for Deterioration of

Geotextiles by Exposure to Light, Moisture and Heat in an
Xenon Arc Type Apparatus

Procedure:
• Total energy of 50 MJ/m² applied
• 5 hours dry period (standard temperature 50 ± 3°C)
• 1 hour wet period/rain (standard temperature 25 ± 3 °C)
Resistance against UV

Negative aspects of CE and ASTM standardized tests

• not measuring „aging“ = changing behaviour of polymer

• Material changes in color, looses tensile strength, gets brittle

• Laboratory tests for longterm results are difficult and expensive

• Speeding up „aging“ is difficult, because high temperature are

influencing „aging“ process
Resistance against UV

In 2000 -2009 many Enkamat types were tested by external expert

Geoscope, Dr. Jan Retzlaff.
• tests on longterm weathered product samples
• Samples of Enkamat 7018 and 7020 taken from existing site
„Berzdorf“ D-Zittau, Germany
• Slope ratio 1:4
• Slope directed west
• Installation of Enkamat in 2000
• Samples taking in Summer 2009
Resistance against UV
Resistance against UV

Results

• Tensile strength after 9 years > 50 %

• 3D-structure is totally existing and working

• Life circle of Enkamat without any protection against UV:

 Area north Germany: 9½ years

 Area south Germany: 8 years

 Area south Spain: 4,8 years

Case study# 4

Project: Diez

Reinforced earth wall for wall of a

New Castle in Diez (Germany)

Situation:

- Geogrid for stability of earth wall

- Built in wrap around method

- Enkamat in front
Case study # 4

Used product: Enkamat® 7010

- Permanent protection (DO NOT USE JUTE
FOR THIS!)
- lightweight solution
- EnvironmentalLY harmless
- Retention of soil
- Enkamat 7010 series have high
resistance against UV
- Protection of germinating vegetation
Armater

Armater (geocells)Hexagonal shape structure is used:

 For Soil segmentation and reinforcement on

geomemebrane reservoirs or rocky underground

 To provide vegetation on sterile, acid or alkalic Subsoils

=> no growth possible
Armater

Project(s): retention basins in Switzerland

System:
- Non-woven
- Geomembrane
- Non-woven
- Enkagrid
- Armater
Armater

Functions: „reinforcement“, erosion

control and retention in small
honeycomb structures
More case studies
More case studies - Armater

Project: Romania „Cluj Arena“

Soil reinforcement on slopes

Armater

Project: Germany BAB A38

Soil reinforcement on slopes

Enkamat A20

Enkamat A20 =
 Enkamat 7225
 Filled with chippings and
 4% of bitumen emulsion
 40% open structure
Enkamat A20

Field of application
 For water engineering
 Directly protection after installation
 Higher protection with vegetation
 Flow capacity: max. 2,5 m/s
Installation of Enkamat A20
Case Studies
Designing with Enkamat

6. Designing with Enkamat

Reference Enkamat Design guide

 Relevant design factors

Important Aspects described in Enkamat Design

guide

• Soil type
• Flow capacity
• Wave height
• Slope angle
• Duration and intencity of weather
circumstances
• Influence of movements by ships

74
 Hydraulic loading – Laboratory tests

Determination of the vcr and cr in a flow tester

flow distributor Enkamat grid valve

sand

pump filter
Hydraulic loading

Results of flow tests on Enkamat without vegetation

Protection layer Critical Critical shear

velocity stress
m/s N/m2
None (cohesion-less sand d50 = 0.6mm) 0.30 0.3
Enkamat 10 mm 0.60 2.3
Enkamat 20 mm 0.75 3.7
Enkamat 10 mm + chippings (2/5 mm) 1.00 6.5
Enkamat 20 mm + chippings (2/5 mm) 1.65 17.0
Enkamat A20 2.50 24.0
Hydraulic loading

Critical parameters as a result of field tests

CIRIA field trials on Enkamat reinforced grass covered spillways

Protection layer Critical velocity Critical shear Duration to

m/s stress failure velocity
N/m2 hours

Plain grass 3.7 205 0.5

Enkamat 7220 7.0 355 1.5

Reinforced grass

Enkamat A20 6.5 490 0.25

reinforced grass
 Hydraulic loading

Limiting values recommended by CIRIA for erosion resistance of plain and

Enkamat reinforced grass.
7
limiting velocity (m/s)

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 2 5 10 20 50

time (hours)
 Hydraulic loading

Critical shear stresses and velocities of constructions with Enkamat.

Construction DIN Delft USA CIRIA Colbond
19661 Hydraulics field test spillway flume
field test flume site
v  v  v  v  v 
Critical shear stress cr in
* sand 0.2-0.63 mm 0.4 2.0 0.2 0.3 0.3
N/m2 and critical
** chippings 2 – 6.3 mm 0.7 9.0 0.75 2.1 0.7 2.3
velocity Vcr in m/s* 1.5 15 3.7 205
* grass vegetation
2.0 30
* Enkamat 10 mm + 1.20 7.4 1.0 6.5
chippings 2/5 on
sand 0.4 - 0.6 mm
Relation between v and * Enkamat 20 mm + 1.70 15 1.65 17
vegetation chippings 4/5 on
sand 0.4 – 0.6 mm
* Enkamat A20 on 2.5 24
v² sand 0.4 – 0.6 mm
 is :  =  g --------
* Enkamat 10 mm + 3.0 339
km² R1/3
vegetation
* Enkamat 20 mm + 4.65 355 7.0 355
vegetation
* Enkamat A20 + 6.5 490
 Hydraulic loading - Summary

All these test results have been summarized in the design graphs
( NO vegetation, PERMANENT vegetation) including the required factors
of safety.
max. water velocity (m/s) 4

NO
VEGETATION 2 Enkamat A20

Enkamat + chippings 18 mm unlimited

1 duration
8 mm
Enkamat + soil 18 mm
8 mm
Bare soil
0
1 2 5 10 20 50 100
time (hrs)
 Hydraulic loading - Summary

max. water velocity (m/s) 6

5
Enkamat + grass
4
PERMANENT check if the
vegetation
VEGETATION 3 remains intact
Plain grass on clay
2

1
Plain grass
0
1 2 5 10 20 50 100
time (hrs)
 Recommended maximum flow rates

3.5
3
flow rate (m/s)

2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Enkamat Enkamat Enkamat
10 mm 20 mm A20

Enkamat without vegetation

Enkamat with poor vegetation (< 1 year)
Enkamat with good vegetation

Use the symplified design method for selection of types.

Page 82 of 40
Designing with Enkamat

Keep in mind:

- There is NO regulation, no EU standard for erosion control

- Focus on problem solving and proven performance

- If you find other products in tender text always ask for the end-
application, project needs…

- Enkamat = No mathematics, no engineering; more driven by

trial & error & philosophy (see & believe & build up experience)
Filter function in conjunction with
other means of erosion protection

Where timber or live screens, gabions, concrete blocks, heavy rock

armour, tetrapods etc are used to provide heavy duty erosion
protection in coastal, riverbank or reservoir applications subjected
to wave action or high flow rates there remains the risk that erosion
may still occur beneath the armour due to the pumping or
washing out of fine soil particles.

In these instances non-woven geotextiles can provide the

additional screening and filtration required to retain the fine
particles whilst allowing free drainage.
Bontec woven geotextile

• To separate, filtrate, reinforce and protect

for erosion
• Wide range of product types for different
project requirements
• Properties i.e. weight (65 tot 800 gr/m2),
tensile strength (10 tot 600 kN/m), CBR
puncture strength (1.800 N tot 12.500 N),
permeability, uv-resitance, life time
expectancy (up to 50 years)

85
Bontec SG 18/18

86
Bontec SG 18/18

87
Non woven behind live willow wattling for
reservoir bank protection

88
Bontec non-woven

• High permeability
• Suited for various soil types
• Width up to 5,25 m, or on request
• Lifetime expectancy up to 100 years!

89
Bontec NW 23p

90
Bontec NW 23p

91
Geobags and geocontainers

92
Geobags and geocontainers

93
Geobags and geocontainers

94
Bontec SG 60PL/60P &SNW 40 UV

95
Bontec SG 40PL/40PS
& SG 80PL/80P, with loops

96
Bontec SG60PL/60P, with loops

97
Concrete matrasses

98
Basalt stones

99