slopes

1. Preventive work:

Manual techniques and rope work is generally used for preventative work on slopes and rocky areas. We generally work with levers, hammers, mechanical and hydraulic jacks, and expansive mortar.

2. Triple twist mesh:

Triple twist mesh for slope protection consists of a series of tightly woven wires forming an elongated hexagon in the direction of one of the diagonals. This type of mesh fencing is highly resistant to breakage.

Its main function is to prevent small landslides on roadways. The mesh is also used in a system of active slope stabilisation with the incorporation of strengthening anchors, bolts, and steel cables.

3. Drains:

Groundwater is a key factor in the stability of slopes and sometimes causes instability.

Various techniques are used to extract water from the interior of a slope. Some techniques reduce the volume of water, while other techniques help minimise the negative effects of water within the slope. The main techniques for slope drainage are:

1. Puncture or drainage of the slope
2. Installation of drainage buttresses
3. Diversion of surface water before it reaches the slope
4. Installation of channels or ditches on the upper slope

Deep drainage systems are often needed to collect the largest possible amount of groundwater and avoid problems caused by infiltrated water. This method involves penetrating the slope with a porous pipe – made of various materials: porous fibre cement or plastic pipes with holes, etc.

Horizontal drainage techniques involve drilling a series boreholes connected by drainage pipes made of various materials.

4. Hydroseeding and organic blankets:

Hydroseeding is a vegetation restoration technique for restocking shrubs and trees in areas where the vegetation has been eroded or disturbed by civil works.

The technique was developed in 1953 in the United States and involves spraying a mixture of water, seeds, additives, stabilizers and fixatives on the soil surface.

It is applied to very steep slopes and land that cannot be accessed by conventional machinery.

The choice of seeds and mixture depends on the characteristics of the area, soil, orientation, climate, native vegetation, as well as other factors. Hydroseeding is an effective system for preventing slope erosion and reduces the environmental impact of new infrastructures.