Usace Engineer Research Dev. Center Vicksburg, Mississippi

The Problem

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) discovered that its Rapid Repair Levee Breach (RRLB) facility was deteriorating due to severe, rain-induced erosion. The RRLB facility, a part of the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), was designed to assist the USACE in determining practical and scientifically accurate engineering methods for evaluating the most challenging applications of flood protection materials.

The Solution

This problem needed to be fixed immediately and after much research, a solution was found with Propex’s ARMORMAX® 75 Engineered Earth Armoring Solution™. ARMORMAX 75 consists of a High Performance Turf Reinforcement Mat (HPTRM) and Engineered Earth Anchors that work together to lock soil in place and protect against hydraulic stresses.  Over 5,000 square yards of ARMORMAX was installed to prevent both basic and extreme erosive forces.

FEATURES & BENEFITS

• Permanent erosion protection solution that reinforces vegetation

• Holds its durability despite heavy equipment traffic from mowing and upkeep

• Superior UV resistance allowing a 75-year design life

• Withstands hydraulic stresses including high water flows and wave impact induced from overland and concentrated flow

• Promotes infiltration of surface water and pollutant removal with a vegetated solution

• Easy to install, saving on labor costs