URQUHART CASTLE VISITOR CENTER - Maccaferri
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Client: Main contractor: Date of construction Designer: Products used: CASE HISTORY Ref: UK / CH / EC — Rev:04, January 17 EROSION CONTROL Product: BioMac C, MacMat R, Macweb URQUHART CASTLE VISITOR CENTER LOCH NESS, SCOTLAND, UK HISTORIC SCOTLAND MORRISON CONSTRUCTION LTD BIOMAC ® C, MACMAT, MACWEB MACCAFERRI LTD, (UK) December 2001 Problem Built in the 13th Century on Strone Point overlooking Loch Ness, majestic Urquhart Castle has withstood the ravages of medieval wars, revolutions, weather and time; a testament to its builders. Of great historic significance, Urquhart Castle receives many visitors each year, and new facilities were required. These consisted of a new visitor center and vehicle park. Newly created steep slopes of 1:1.5 needed to be vegetated to blend into the Scottish Highland environment. Although most slopes only required shallow topsoil for grass growth, others needed 450mm (1.5’) of topsoil for tree planting. This quantity of unsecured topsoil would quickly slump off the steep, long slopes before vegetation would have a chance to secure the soil. A solution was needed. Solution Maccaferri Ltd. UK, proposed cost effective and robust solutions to solve the erosion problems. The selection of the solution was dependent upon the depth of topsoil required at each location. Where the topsoil was only 200mm (8”) thick, Biomac ® C, a biodegradable soil blanket of quilted coir (coconut) fibers, was used. Biomac ® C absorbs the erosion energy from water run- off and rain impact, so disturbance of the soil and seeds are minimized during the establishment phase. The Biomac ® C was secured to the slopes using appropriate anchorage pins. Grass and plants grow through the matting easily. Biomac ® C will biodegrade over 1-2 years, by which time established root systems should bind the topsoil to the slope. In areas where 450mm (1.5’) of topsoil was required, there was the risk that without any support, the new soil would slump to the bottom of the steep slopes. Urquhart Castle Completed installation of Biomac ® C on slope Biomac ® C biodegradable erosion control blanket
Transcript of URQUHART CASTLE VISITOR CENTER - Maccaferri
Client:
Main contractor:
Date of construction
Designer:
Products used:
CASE HISTORY Ref: UK / CH / EC — Rev:04, January 17
EROSION CONTROL Product: BioMac C, MacMat
R, Macweb
URQUHART CASTLE VISITOR CENTER LOCH NESS, SCOTLAND, UK
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
MORRISON CONSTRUCTION LTD
BIOMAC® C, MACMAT, MACWEB
MACCAFERRI LTD, (UK)
December 2001
Problem Built in the 13th Century on Strone Point overlooking Loch
Ness, majestic Urquhart Castle has withstood the ravages of
medieval wars, revolutions, weather and time; a testament to
its builders.
Of great historic significance, Urquhart Castle receives many
visitors each year, and new facilities were required. These
consisted of a new visitor center and vehicle park. Newly
created steep slopes of 1:1.5 needed to be vegetated to
blend into the Scottish Highland environment. Although most
slopes only required shallow topsoil for grass growth, others
needed 450mm (1.5’) of topsoil for tree planting.
This quantity of unsecured topsoil would quickly slump off the
steep, long slopes before vegetation would have a chance to
secure the soil. A solution was needed.
Solution Maccaferri Ltd. UK, proposed cost effective and robust
solutions to solve the erosion problems. The selection of the
solution was dependent upon the depth of topsoil required at
each location.
Where the topsoil was only 200mm (8”) thick, Biomac® C, a
biodegradable soil blanket of quilted coir (coconut) fibers, was
used. Biomac® C absorbs the erosion energy from water run-
off and rain impact, so disturbance of the soil and seeds are
minimized during the establishment phase.
The Biomac® C was secured to the slopes using appropriate
anchorage pins. Grass and plants grow through the matting
easily. Biomac® C will biodegrade over 1-2 years, by which
time established root systems should bind the topsoil to the
slope.
In areas where 450mm (1.5’) of topsoil was required, there
was the risk that without any support, the new soil would
slump to the bottom of the steep slopes.
Urquhart Castle
Completed installation of Biomac® C on slope
Biomac® C biodegradable erosion control blanket
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Maccaferri Ltd: Building 168, Harwell Campus, Didcot, OX11 0QT T: (+44) 1865 770555
Rep of Ireland: T: (+353) 18851662 www.geostrong.net
Specialist areas: Sales: E: [email protected] Technical: E: [email protected] Construction: E: [email protected]
www.maccaferri.com/uk
Here, Maccaferri proposed a multi-layer system:
• A permeable cellular confinement system Macweb, was
placed upon the newly cut slope. Once secured
Macweb covers the slope with 200mm (8”) high walled
cells into which topsoil can then be placed. This stops
the slumping of the soil block even if the soil is
saturated. Being permeable, the cell walls allow water
to drain away down the slope without the weakened
topsoil layer shearing.
• Once the cellular confinement system had been over
filled with 300mm of top-soil, a 3-dimensional synthetic
geomat, EnkamatTM was anchored to the slope. This
was installed to prevent shallow slip circles forming in
the topsoil above the Macweb. This layer also provided
a permanent root zone anchorage for the trees that
were planted on the slope.
• Finally, the top layer of soil was protected from surface
erosion by the BioMac® C erosion control blanket.
Once the soil mass had been stabilized, the trees were
planted through these plant-friendly materials.
Maccaferri’s experience in the function of these indvidual
materials created this successful composite design.
Project section
Biomac® C
3 dimensional permanent geomat
150—200mm (6-8”)
300mm (12”)
Existing profile of cut slope
Biodegradable cellular confinement system (MacwebTM), secured by timber stakes
Trees establishing within thick topsoil layer
