Erosion Control Structures

Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or

water erosion in agriculture , land development , coastal areas ,river
banks and construction of hilly roads.
So, the structures which control erosion are known as erosion control
structures.

Gully formation due to soil erosion

Erosion endanger shore homes

Objectives of Construction of Erosion

Control Structure
The major objective of construction of erosion control structures is to
preserve the soil resources, water, and air quality as well as human
health.

Beside that its objective is also to create the stable system that
minimizes the property loss and increases the beneficial use of our
waterways.

Importance of Erosion Control Structures

Erosion control structures are significant in preventing soil loss, Wildlife
habitat loss and human property loss.
Since, grazing and deforestation cause erosion by making the
grounds surface soil bare and extremely prone to erosion by natural
forces so erosion control structures plays a vital role in stabilizing the soil.
Erosion causes formations of unstable soil layers and erosion control
structures such as retaining wall prevent undesired accidents in hilly
roads.
Erosion attacks the moisture bearing ability of soils and adds deposits
to waterways therefore increasing the requirement of erosion control
structures.

Types of Erosion and Gully Control

Structures

1) Vegetation
a) Mulching

b) Erosion Blanket
c) Temporary Seeding
d) Permanent Seeding
e) Sodding
2) Runoff Control Structures
a) Rock Check Dams
b) Temporary Diversions
c) Temporary Swales
d) Temporary Slope Drain
e) Diversion

a) Mulching
Application of plant residues and
other suitable materials to the soil
surface.
To prevent erosion and surface
compaction
by
protecting
soil
surface from raindrop impact and
reducing the velocity of overland
flow.

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By Aakriti, Anoj, Ayush & Bishal

b) Erosion Blanket
A protective blanket of straw or
other plant residue, usually with a
plastic mesh on one or both sides.
To protect the soil from raindrop
erosion and overland flows during
the establishment of vegetation.

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By Aakriti, Anoj, Ayush & Bishal

c) Temporary Seeding

Stabilizes the soil

growing vegetation.

Stabilizes the soil within 7 days and

to
reduce
sediment
until
permanently stabilized.

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By Aakriti, Anoj, Ayush & Bishal

fast

d) Permanent Seeding

This
practice
establishes
permanent vegetative cover to
stabilize disturbed areas.
To reduce erosion and decrease
sediment.

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By Aakriti, Anoj, Ayush & Bishal

e) Sodding/Turfing
Stabilizes
fine-graded
disturbed
areas by laying a continuous cover
of grass sod/turf.
To
prevent
erosion
and
sedimentation,
improve
visual
quality, and allows for immediate
use.

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By Aakriti, Anoj, Ayush & Bishal

2. Runoff Control Structures

a) Rock Check Dams
b) Temporary Diversions
c) Temporary Swales
c) Temporary Slope Drain
d) Diversion

a) Rock Check Dams

A small rock dam constructed
across a grassed swale or road
ditch.
Its purposes are to reduce the
velocity of concentrated storm
water flows, reduce erosion,
trap sediment, and increase
infiltration.

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11

b) Temporary Diversions
A temporary diversion is a ridge
or channel across slope on the
grade.
Its purpose is to direct sediment
loaded flows to a trapping facility
or stabilized outlet.

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c) Temporary Swale

A temporary swale is
excavated drainage way.

Its purpose is to prevent runoff

from reaching disturbed areas
by intercepting and diverting it
to a stable outlet.

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an

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d) Temporary Slope Drain

It is a flexible tubing or rigid conduit
extending temporarily from the top to
the bottom of a cut or fill slope.
Its purpose is to convey concentrated
runoff down the face of a cut or fill
slope without causing erosion on or
below the slope.

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e) Diversion
It is a channel and supporting ridge
constructed across the slope to
collect and divert runoff.
Its purpose is to divert excess water
from one area for use or safe
disposal in other areas.

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Other Structures

a) Stabilized Construction Entrance

A
stabilized
construction
entrance is a pad of aggregate
over filter fabric located at any
point where construction traffic
enters/exits construction areas.
Its purpose is to reduce or
eliminate tracking of sediment
onto public right-of-ways.

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17

b) Diverting Flows And Seepage: Upland

Water Management

Upland water can cause

severe rills and gullies on
exposed slopes.
Important
to
identify
source
areas
and
incorporate actions in an
Erosion
&
Sediment
control plan.

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 A gabion is a cage, cylinder or box filled with rocks, concrete

or sometimes sand and soil for use in civil engineering
works such as erosion control in road building.
Gabions have advantage over more rigid structures because
they conform to subsidence, dissipate energy from flowing
water and drain freely.
Also, their strength and effectiveness may increase with
time as silt and vegetation fill the interstitial voids and
reinforce the structure.

Reinforced earth with gabions

supporting a multilane roadway

 Riprap, also
d) Stone
Riprap Protection
known Masonry
asshot rock,rockorrubble,
isrock or other material used toarmor shorelines,
streambeds, bridge abutments, pilings and other
shoreline structures against scourand water or ice
erosion.
A riprap also known as rock armour is a rock or
other material used to armour shorelines, bridge
abutments ,pilings and other shoreline structures
against scour and water or ice erosion.
It can be used in any waterway or water
containment where there is potential for water
erosion.

It is made from variety of rock types, commonly

granite or limestone and occasionally Concrete
concrete rubble used as a ripr
rubble from building.

d) Cellular Confinement
Systems
Cellular Confinement Systems ( CCS) also known as
Geocells are widely used in construction for erosion
control, soil stabilization on flat ground and steep
slopes,
channel
protection
and
structural
reinforcement for load support and earth retention.
A cellular confinement creates a stiff mattress or
slab to distribute the load over a wider area and
decreases deformation.
It also increases the shear resistance and bearing
capacity of confined soil.

e) Retaining
Walls
Retaining walls are structures designed to
restrain soil to unnatural slopes.
They are used to bound soils between two
different elevations often in areas of terrain
possessing undesirable slopes.
Different types of retaining wall such as
gravity retaining wall, cantilevered wall, sheet
pile retaining walls etc are used as erosion
control structures in road building and other
constructions.

A Gravity type stone Retaining

 The most important consideration in proper design and installment of

retaining walls is to recognize and counteract the tendency of retained
material to move down slope due to gravity.
Also, proper drainage materials will eliminate the hydrostatic pressure
and improve the stability of the material behind the wall against erosion.

f) Wattle Fence
Wattleis acomposite building material used for making walls,
in
which
a
woven
lattice
of
wooden
strips
calledwattleisdaubedwith a sticky material usually made of
some combination of wet soil,clay,sand,animal dungand
straw.

g) Sand Fence/Silt Fence

Asand fence, similar to asnow fence, is a type offenceused
to force windblown, driftingsand to accumulate in a desired
place.

h) Wind Break
Awindbreakorshelterbeltis aplantation usually made up of
one or more rows oftreesorshrubsplanted in such a manner
as to provide shelter from thewindand to protect soil
fromerosion.

i) Reforestation
The process of restoring and recreating areas of woodlands

or forests that may have existed long ago but

weredeforestedor otherwise removed at some pointin the
past.

j) Terracing
Terraceis a piece of sloped plane that has been cut into a
series of successively receding flat surfaces or platforms,
which resemble steps, for the purposes of more effective
farming.

k) Buffer Strip
Abuffer
stripis
an
area
of
land
maintained
in
permanentvegetationthat helps to controlair,soil, andwater
quality, along with other environmental problems, dealing
primarily on land that is used inagriculture.
Theroot systemsof the planted vegetation in these buffers
hold soil particles together which alleviate the soil ofwind
erosionand
stabilizestream
banksproviding
protection
against substantialerosionandlandslides.

A) Slope Pitching
1) Dry Stone Pitching
2) Gabion Crates Filling Pitching
B) Slope Lining
3) Concrete Block Lining
C) Retaining Walls
1) Stone Masonry Retaining Walls
2) Retaining Walls with Gabion Crates
D) Check Dams
4) Live or Vegetative Check Dams
5) Conventional Check Dams