Highway embankment slope protection using StrataWeb^®

Location	National Highway 215 (NH-215), Odisha
Principal Client	NHAI
Client	Gayatri Projects Limited
Design Consultants	Sheladia Associates Inc.
Application	Slope erosion protection with StrataWeb®
Project Size	44,000 sq.m.
Geosynthetics Used	StrataWeb® SW 660-125
Project Completion Date	November 2017

This project involved upgrading and widening an existing national highway in Odisha (State in Eastern India). The embankment slope lengths were as long as 16m with slope angles as steep as 40 degrees. At some locations, concrete toe walls were constructed. Slopes of these embankments required protection against erosion due to rain water runoff.

Stone pitching is a conventional erosion control technique for embankment slopes. However, stone procurement and mining has become an arduous activity provoking environmental concerns. It requires skilled masons and is labour intensive. Since projects are usually with a short timeline, stone pitching is not ideal.

In contrast to constraints of the conventional system, the StrataWeb^® slope erosion system overcomes these challenges. The style recommended for this project is SW 660-125 (weld spacing 660mm and cell depth of 125mm), which is infilled with vegetated soil.

Geocells are recommended as an appropriate solution by relevant codes and guidelines and are an effective way to protect the soil along a slope. The infilled geocells provide a stable layer of confined material over the slope surface. They foster vegetation growth to provide a green surface which also protects against erosion.