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Geotechnical News • March 2013
www.geotechnicalnews.com
Physical Modelling in Geotechnics
(ICPMG 2010), Zurich, pp. 117-
121. Taylor & Francis.
[13] Silvestri, F. (1999). “Looking for
objective criteria in the interpre-
tation of laboratory stress-strain
tests”. Pre-Failure Deformation
Characteristics of Geomaterials,
pp. 1305-1316.
[14] Georgiannou, V.N., Rampello,
S., Silvestri, F. (1991). “Static and
dynamic measurements of undrained
stiffness on natural overconsolidated
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and Foundation Engineering, 1, pp.
91-95.
Authors
Dr Emilio Bilotta, PhD
University of Napoli Federico II
Via Claudio, 21
80125 Naples (ITALY)
emilio.bilotta@unina.it
Tel: +39 081 7683469
Professor Francesco Silvestri, PhD
University of Napoli Federico II
Via Claudio, 21
80125 Naples (ITALY)
francesco.silvestri@unina.it,
Tel:+39 081 768347
Soil confinement system in soil erosion
Hamed Niroumand, Khairul Anuar Kassim, Ramli Nazir
Abstract
Erosion is defined as process of
detachment and transportation of soil
particles by weathering agents such
as water, wind, tide and glacier. It is
a phenomenon that changes the earth
surface. It could be caused by either
nature or man-made. Since erosion
could be a signal of slope failure,
there is a need to study the behavior
of erosion and the method used in
abasing the adverse effect of erosion.
Nowadays, there are many technique
have been developed for the erosion
control. Generally, these techniques
can be classified as geosynthetics
and bioengineering techniques. Soil
confinement system is a geosynthetics
method used in erosion control and
protection of slope from any failures.
Confinement system could improve
both vegetated and non-vegetated
slopes’ resistance to erosive forces
by confined and reinforced the infill
material. Confinement system prevents
down-slope transportation of soil par-
ticles caused by gravity and hydraulic
traction. The current research studied
on soil confinement system in soil
erosion.
Soil confinement system
Soil confinement system or geocel-
lular confinement system (the prod-
uct is called geocell and as shown
in Figure 1 & 2) works in a unique
fashion in that strength or stabiliza-
tion by confinement is achieved by a
series of three-dimensional cells up
to 20cm. The cells normally are made
by polyethylene or polyester. When
expanded into position, the cells have
the appearance of a large honeycomb,
one of the nature’s most efficient
structures. After installation, the cells
are backfilled with soil, sand or gravel
depending on the application. The soil
backfilled are seeded, fertilized and
covered for revegetation purpose. As
the vegetation establish, the mulches
provide surface protection while
the cells greatly reduce the chances
Figure 1. Soil confinement system.