Justifications And Solutions 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.

Waterways are not the only place where erosion happens. Streams and rivers definitely do have problems with this, but farms, homes, and roads can all be placed in areas where the sloping of the ground combined with rain or melting snow can cause the topsoil to wash away. This will cause instability of the foundations and prevent future development of the property. Rolling hills are a beautiful sight to see until they begin to erode.

Landscapers and construction workers are familiar with the problem. One of the basic issues to consider when building a new hill or slopey area is what happens when it rains. There are ways to prevent the soil from washing away, including using special webbing, bolts, and planting natural vegetation to allow the roots to help with the problem.

The news often has stories of rock and mudslides. These most often occur near roads and highways. They also occur after heavy rains. The reason is the water is able to get underneath the rock and loosen both it and the soil, allowing them to tumble onto the roadway below. Many roads are cut into the side of mountains and other large hills in order to provide more direct and scenic routes.

Stabilization plans are part of nearly every road and building project. Roads are either built on high land or cut into mountains. In either case, the sides slope up or down from the highway. The crew has to include a way to keep the ground under the road from washing away or prevent rocks and other materials from falling into the roadway during bad weather.

A natural way to fight erosion is by planting trees and grasses. Usually, you will want to use those that are natural to the habitat. Since they already grow in the nearby areas, they'll easily adapt to the climate. Their roots can grow deep and form the natural web needed to keep the soil in place.

There are many different ways to stabilize a slope. For rocky terrain, they will start by removing any loose materials. Then place long bolts with wires or webbing attached to help keep the rocks in place. In some situations, it is possible to reduce the angle by removing some of the material. Other methods include adding moss to rocky areas to help them become more stable.

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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