Application of Wool Geotextiles for the Protection of Steep Slopes

Abstract

Wool geotextiles in a form of meandrically arranged thick ropes were used for the protection of a drainage ditch bank and the steep slope in a gravel pit. Right after installation, the geotextiles provided immediate protection against water erosion and land sliding. Then, during the exploitation on the slopes the geotextiles gradually degraded. The biodegradation caused the reduction of the mechanical parameters and led to biological damage of the geotextiles. In the second vegetation season, the compounds released through the wool biodegradation supported the rapid growth of protective vegetation. The vegetation gradually took over the protective function of the geotextiles.