Stabilization of Erodible Slopes with Geofibers and Nontraditional Liquid Additives

An embankment was constructed with five test sections, each containing a different combination of erosion treatment methods. The objective was to provide treatments that would limit erosion until annual grasses were rooted. Treatments included combinations of geofibers with synthetic fluid or polymer emulsion. Control sections on each end of the embankment were set to provide contrast to the treated sections. A three-pronged approach was adopted to compare treatments and determine which was most effective. The first feature involved typical soil test methods for evaluating erosion at the field site. The second feature developed a methodology to determine critical shear stress for treated and untreated soils. The third feature involved construction of a laboratory-scale model of the embankment to simulate an extreme erosion environment. The results of these tests showed that more studies of the use of geofibers and nontraditional liquid additives for erosion control are warranted. While there was some discrepancy as to which of the treatments is the most effective, it is safe to say they all could be useful. Grass did not grow on the site treated with EnviroKleen, so if having grass is necessary, that product would not be recommended.