What is geocell technology?
Geocell is a three-dimensional mesh cell structure formed by reinforced HDPE sheet material through high-strength welding. Generally, honeycomb geocell are made by ultrasonic needle welding. Due to engineering needs, some holes are punched in the diaphragm.
Geocell Construction Technology
The construction process of geocell grass planting and slope protection is as follows:
Slope leveling→drainage facility construction→geocell construction→backfilling soil→spraying construction→covering with non-woven fabric→early maintenance
1) Level the slope
The smoothness of the slope is related to the success or failure of the geocell grass planting slope protection project. The laying of the geocell on an uneven slope is likely to produce stress concentration, which will crack the solder joints of the cell and cause the cell to collapse; at the same time, it will also cause partial cells and slopes. Excessive gaps between them bring a great difficulty to guest soil backfilling. Thus, the slope should be controlled to be flat and straight during construction, especially the blasting effect of the rocky section. At the same time, artificial slope repairs should be carried out to remove pumice and tree roots and fill in pits until the construction requirements are met.
2) Construction of drainage facilities
Whether the setting of the slope drainage system is reasonable and perfect will affect the growth environment of the slope vegetation and the stability of the geocell slope protection system. Consider whether to set up upslope drainage ditches according to the size of the water flow on the slope. Generally, the horizontal spacing of slope drainage ditches is 40-50cm.
3) Geocell construction
i. Stakeout on the slope according to the designed anchor rod position, use the drill pipe to drill the hole, and drive the anchor rod bent according to the design requirements and anti-rust treatment into the hole after the hole is formed;
ii. The basecore geocell should be hung immediately After the anchor rod is set. When hanging, it should be noted that the connection between the units should be aligned as much as possible, and the connecting bolts or connecting buckles should be tightened. At the same time, the geocell should be opened as much as possible to fit the slope;
iii. After the geocell grid is suspended, the concrete anchor block can be installed as required, and the anchor block should be vibrated and compacted during construction.
4) backfill foreign soil
After the geocell is fixed, foreign soil can be filled into the cell. Local planting soil should be selected as guest soil as much as possible. Topsoil removed during roadbed construction is an ideal soil source, and soil sources mixed with stones and gravel are prohibited. Before filling, the soil can be moistened to form agglomerates, which is beneficial to construction.
The filling can be carried out layer by layer from bottom to top, and when the construction is inconvenient, an escalator can be set up for many people to pass blocks. When filling, the guest soil in each cell should be dense and full and 1-2cm higher than the cell’s surface. Special attention should be paid to construction safety when filling, and safety ropes must be used for climbing operations.
5) spraying construction
After the guest soil backfill is completed, the spraying construction should be done as soon as possible. Mix grass seeds, wood fiber, water retaining agent, adhesive, fertilizer, dyeing agent, and water according to the design ratio, and spray it on the slope through the sprayer.
6) Cover greening maintenance on non-woven fabric
To protect the grass seeds from rainwater erosion and achieve heat preservation and moisture retention, non-woven fabrics should be added to promote the germination and growth of grass seeds. When the non-woven fabric is covered, fixed bamboo nails should be set according to the spacing of 40*40cm, and personnel should be sent to check and pay attention to timely patching the bamboo nails and covering the non-woven fabric.
7) Early maintenance
i. Sprinkling maintenance: Use a high-pressure sprayer to make the maintenance water into a mist and wet the slope. Pay attention to controlling the distance and moving speed between the nozzle and the slope to ensure that no high-pressure water impacts the slope to form runoff.
The maintenance period depends on the growth of vegetation on the slope.
ii. Topdressing: Topdressing should be done in time according to plant growth needs.
iii. Re-seeding in time: After the grass seeds germinate, the sparse grass-free areas should be re-seeded.
Precautions for geocells
a) Geocell grass planting slope protection is suitable for rock-cutting slopes such as mudstone, limestone, sandstone, conglomerate, etc., with a slope ratio not steeper than 1:0.75 and a slope height of each level not exceeding 10m.
b) Generally, construction should be carried out in spring, and construction in the rainy season should be avoided as much as possible.
c) Each process should be connected to avoid damage to the formed slope surface due to long-term exposure and rainwater erosion of the foreign soil.
d) Pay attention to the selection of geocell products with reliable quality.
e) Pay attention to construction safety during construction.
f) According to the actual situation, retaining structures such as retaining walls can be set at the foot of the slope.
The geocell is a grid cell structure formed by a high-strength HDPE or PP copolymer wide band, which is welded or riveted by a strong force. It can expand and contract and can be collapsed during transportation. It is opened and filled with earth, stone, or concrete materials to form a structure with strong lateral restrictions and high rigidity. It can be used as a cushion to deal with weak foundations and increase the bearing capacity of the foundations. It can also be laid on slopes to form protection structures and build retaining structures. When encountering soft ground, using geocells can reduce the labor intensity of construction, reduce the thickness of the subgrade, the construction speed is fast, the performance is good, and the project cost is reduced.
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