Use of Vegetation Enhanced by Green Soil Stabilization To Protect Kansas Roadsides From Erosion

Details

• Creators:
  Perić, Dunja ; Olia, Arash Saeidi Rashk ; Fry, Jack
• Corporate Creators:
  Kansas State University Transportation Center. Department of Civil Engineering
• Corporate Contributors:
  Kansas. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Research
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Configuration Management Erosion Control Laboratory Tests Lignin Roadside Soil Stabilization Vegetation Wind Erosion
• Publication/ Report Number:
  K-TRAN: KSU-20-2
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Kansas
• Edition:
  Final Report: July 2019 – August 2023
• Corporate Publisher:
  Kansas. Department of Transportation. Bureau of Materials and Research
• Abstract:
  The primary objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using lignin, an environmentally friendly biopolymer, for sustainable protection of Kansas roadsides against wind and rainfall erosion during the critical stage of construction that occurs prior to the emergence of a vegetative cover. Results from laboratory-scale experiments showed that spraying lignin over the surface of dry silty soil provided very good to excellent protection against erosion. A crust formed on the surface of the soil upon spraying, thus inducing increased bonding among the particles and increased compressive strength, resulting in a decreased amount of wind erosion with increased spraying rate. Although the lignin used in this study is water-soluble, its presence in the soil increased viscosity of the pore fluid, thus decreasing hydraulic conductivity and decreasing the amount of rain erosion. Lignin concentration of 1% at 0.0325 gal/ft2 was sufficient to suppress wind erosion, while 15% at 0.123 gal/ft2 was required to decrease the amount of rainfall erosion tenfold and sixfold for sloped and horizontal soil configurations, respectively. Additionally, lignin concentrations up to 4% and spraying rate of 0.0866 gal/ft2 did not affect monocot and dicot counts or vegetative cover size in field trials. Lower zinc and iron levels were found in soil treated with 1% and 2% lignin, but no difference was observed at 4% lignin compared to the untreated soil.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  C2143
• Collection(s):
  Federal Highway Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:491b3a21f28ca6ba0cca8a83616dfe827d044f077426eb51d67f49180204c8c681cc369ba05831573b5a526a39fc19f7abaee51873fad928d6d74457a5930aa9
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/89761/dot_89761_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.04 MB ]