Evaluation of Rolled Erosion Control Products and Seed Mixes for Vegetation Establishment on Slopes

Details

• Creators:
  Donaldson, Bridget M. ; Rossetti, Maria S.
• Corporate Creators:
  Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)
• Corporate Contributors:
  Virginia. Department of Transportation ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Analysis Construction Erosion Evaluation Evaluation And Assessment Runoff Seeding Slopes Soil Stabilization Vegetation
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/VTRC 26-R26
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Virginia
• Edition:
  Final Report
• Corporate Publisher:
  Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)
• Abstract:
  Because transportation construction projects often result in steep slopes with disturbed, bare soils that are sensitive to runoff and erosion processes, vegetation establishment is a continual challenge for transportation departments. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) regularly uses rolled erosion control products (RECPs) to mitigate erosion and provide an environment for vegetation to establish. RECPs range from erosion control blankets made of degradable natural or polymer fibers to non-degradable mats for permanent erosion protection. RECPs that promote rapid and reliable vegetation establishment help expedite environmental compliance for VDOT, a key criterion for project closeout for VDOT projects. The purpose of this study was to (1) assess and compare the performances of RECPs in promoting vegetation establishment, (2) evaluate the performance of VDOT’s basic seed mix design when supplemented with specialty seed mixes such as pollinator and strip mixes, and (3) examine the influence of air temperature, precipitation, soil temperature, and soil moisture on vegetation establishment. RECPs were installed at four VDOT project sites, and vegetation was monitored across the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Evaluations of four commonly applied RECPs and three seed mixes were conducted on geotechnically stable 2:1 slopes with varying soil types. Selected RECPS included two degradable EC-2 mats (straw-based or coconut-based soil stabilization blankets) and two EC-3 mats (non-degradable plastic matting). An image analysis program was used to determine the percentage of vegetative cover.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  124532
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:01ab7fc7fd79fc21d36aa28751d26d5fde4ca2706f7e991633ec8fc7eb8938ad8033006f2156dd075a5ffcfb43697289b62d92086e2d5c9051a9972b69ad8e40
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/88492/dot_88492_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.47 MB ]