The long-term stability and durability of roadway shoulders are essential to keeping drivers and pedestrians safe. In roadway construction, the latest technology such as cellular confinement systems is often leveraged to reinforce roadway shoulders. These systems are an effective method of achieving this goal due to a myriad of features that add strength, reduce costs, and minimize workloads. Realizing the full benefits of cellular confinement systems has allowed countless construction businesses to provide safer roads throughout the world.
Construction Benefits
Cellular confinement systems, also known as geocells, are tools for structural reinforcement that consist of honeycomb-like cells filled with compactable materials like gravel, dirt, stone, etc. These compactable materials can be sourced directly from the construction site, eliminating the need to bring in fill from another area.
In many construction projects, a stable subgrade is required before any work starts. Geocells can be used in place of conventional subgrade, creating an even stronger foundation. In addition, without the need for deep-soil excavation prior to construction, prices are reduced.
Another benefit is that geocells are compact and easy to transport. When dealing with massive construction projects, transportation can eat up large portions of the budget. Utilizing more compact materials can drastically cut costs. Cellular confinement systems also have a relatively quick and easy installation process, even in difficult conditions.
Roadway Stabilization
On roadway shoulders, cellular confinement systems can effectively distribute loads laterally while reducing subgrade contact pressure and vertical deflection. They also reduce surface rutting, which is a significant issue on roadways. Surface rutting is when a depression in the wheel path of a roadway forms over time due to pressure, creating a more dangerous roadway.
The materials required to create a strong foundation are reduced by about half when using geocell confinement systems. This drastically minimizes the load weight on subsurface soils while reducing stress on the subbase through better vertical and lateral load distributions.
The cellular confinement systems control lateral movement and shearing of the fill material while reducing runoff from stormwater. The geocells allow for natural drainage while offering resistance to the displacement typically caused by freezing and thawing. This makes for stronger roadways with better water and erosion control.
Unpaved Roadway Stabilization
The benefits of cellular confinement systems don`t stop with paved roadways, they are also very beneficial for unpaved roads as well. Off-ramp access roads are often unpaved but still handle a lot of traffic from government and service vehicles. Unpaved roads are susceptible to washing out, rutting, dents, and other issues that make them dangerous to drive on. Geocells offer an economical and effective solution to stabilizing and maintaining these roads. They improve the ability for granular roadways to withstand heavier loads while reducing surface water and promoting vegetative growth that stabilizes unpaved roadways.
