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Experimental and Numerical Modeling of Soil-Vegetation-Atmospheric Interaction on Slopes and Erosion Control using Biopolymers and Vegetation

Authors

Josif Josifovski, Bojan Susinov, Aleksandra N. Atanasovska
 

DOI

Abstract

The impact of climate change on the infrastructure is alarming, thus creating several challenges that affect their lifespan and transport safety. The large temperature variations and more frequent intense rainfalls are seen as the main contributing factors for soil instabilities, landslides, and erosion. To understand the soil-vegetation-atmospheric interaction a holistic approach has been used that combines theoretical results and laboratory testing, as well as experimental and numerical modeling.
The hypothesis that intense rainfalls can have a significant impact on slope stability has been tested through various methods and models, but moreover, the use of a naturally-based solution for erosion resistance improvement, such as biopolymers in combination with vegetation has been examined. Nowadays, the usage of environmentally friendly materials for soil improvement has become very popular with the increased environmental awareness. Biopolymers are biodegradable substances, thus they don't harm the environment or people.
The paper presents an analysis of ideal slopes subjected to intense rainfalls, for which both physical and numerical modeling were performed. The results indicate that the impact of the atmosphere through intense rainfall can be significant on the surface layers on slopes where initially erosion occurs, later leading to local instability which eventually can end in global failure and even landslides. The experimental testing on the use of biopolymers as naturally based solutions has shown that the biopolymer improves not only the mechanical but also the hydrological soil parameters by forming a viscous gel matrix with a reinforcing bond between the soil grains that fills the pores. All test results confirm that the efficiency of the biopolymer as an additive significantly enhances the erosion resistance and stabilizes the soil, thus providing additional adhesion which in combination with the vegetation root system eliminates the erosion and improves the safety of slopes subjected to atmospheric actions.

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