Polyfelt® Envirocell - Slope Erosion Protection & Re-Vegetation

Project Data

Project	Slope Erosion Protection & Re-Vegetation
Location	Aklan, Philippines
Owner	Shangri-La Hotel Group
Products used	Polyfelt® Envirocell

Overview

The project is located on Boracay Island a tropical paradise located at south of Manila.

The project required a road slope protection system that mitigated erosion problems on cut limestone of vegetation that blends to the natural Boracay tropics.

Applications

To mitigate the new cut slope surface erosion problem, Envirocell cellular soil confinement system with a layer of Polyfelt® TS nonwoven geotextiles were selected. The Polyfelt® TS geotextile act as a filter and drainage layer between the slope and Envirocell. the Envirocell's purpose was to retain sufficient topsoil on the steep slope and facilitate grass and other vegetation growth.

Product Characteristics

Manufactured from inert Polyethylene, Envirocell is unaffected by effects of chemicals in soil or degradation resulting from prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The continuous structure of Envirocell is designed to encapsulate and contain soil and moisture for quick vegetation growth on areas of hard slope surfaces where natural growth of vegetation is impossible.

Installation

The hard surface slope was cut and trimmed into berms approximately 3 m high with a slope inclination of 60 degree to 70 degree

At the top of each slope an anchor trench was dug up to secure the Polyfelt® geotextile filter / separator and the Envirocell. The purpose was to act as a separator between the hard surface and the top soil and at the same time serve as a drainage layer to collect highly alkaline water seepage from the limestone surface area.

The Envirocell was then laid on top of the Polyfelt® TS geotextile filter and laced together and fixed with cable ties. To hold it firmly to the hard surface slope galvanized J-pins were pegged in a staggered profile at 1.0 m spacing.

Top soil was then laid inside the cell confinement system followed by hydro seeding and turfing. The project was divided into two phases; Phase 1 was completed in 2006 and phase 2 completed in May 2008.