GEOWEB® Slope Protection System

Project Name: Shelton Gardens Slope Stabilization

Project Location: Cincinnati, OH

Shelton Gardens, an apartment complex in Cincinnati, recently underwent renovations, among which was the construction of a new office. During this process, honeysuckle vegetation was removed from a nearby 20-foot-high, 1.5:1 slope. This action left the slope prone to erosion, creating a serious risk to the safety and functionality of the sidewalks and parking lot, and emphasizing the urgent need for an effective erosion control solution.

Project Details:

Brad Ackel, an engineer from Carpenter Marty Transportation, supervised the project. To address the erosion, the team chose the GEOWEB® Slope Protection System (4-inch cell depth), equipped with tendon anchoring, a geotextile, and topsoil infill to support vegetation. Crews installed a total of 48,530 square feet of the GEOWEB System for this project.

The choice for the vegetated GEOWEB Slope Protection System was based on its unique 3D cellular network, which provides stability for sustainable vegetation on slopes up to 45°—sometimes steeper. The GEOWEB System offers exceptional surface stability against severe erosion caused by surface runoff and sheet flow—a feature not possible with 2D planar systems. The infill confined within the 3D geocells creates a structural surface layer resistant to sliding. Each isolated cell of the GEOWEB System forms a protected eco-zone, enhancing resistance to erosive forces.

Installation:

Diamond Excavation and Concrete executed the installation work, which began on May 18th and ended on June 16th, 2023. The team implemented the project in phases, deploying the tendon-pre-assembled GEOWEB System. The GEOWEB sections were connected using the patented ATRA® Keys, which are inserted through adjoining GEOWEB cells walls, turned, and locked for the most secure connection.

The ATRA® Tendon Clips are used with tendons in the GEOWEB® Slope Protection System to secure and stabilize the structure. The tendons, which are anchored at the crest of the slope, run through the GEOWEB cells and are connected using the ATRA Tendon Clips. These clips lock with the GEOWEB cell walls, providing a secure connection, while a looped tie-off ensures the tendons remain attached to the device. This set-up is crucial in preventing the slope system from shifting, providing an effective erosion control solution.

The team cleared and graded the site, installed a geotextile, and then proceeded to install the tendon-equipped GEOWEB System. Installers anchored the system at the slope’s crest using a buried deadman anchor, earth anchor, or a grouted steel eye bolt anchor with a minimum pull-out strength of 1,300 lbs. Following this, they filled the GEOWEB System with topsoil using a slinger, hydroseeded the area, and finally, laid a turf reinforcement mat for surface protection.

Results:

Despite their unfamiliarity with the GEOWEB System, Diamond Excavation & Concrete successfully executed the project. With field support from Meredith Brothers, Inc., a distributor for Presto Geosystems, the contractor quickly became proficient in installing the GEOWEB System. Their efforts successfully stabilized the slope, mitigating the risks to the sidewalks and parking lot that are associated with it.