Summer residents and owners of private plots quickly realized that the geogrid for paths in the country is very convenient, although this is a relatively new building material. The parking place when using it looks attractive and does not spoil the design of the site. Since the appearance on the market, the geotechnical grate has become a fairly popular product that helps to carry out various landscape works, equip the adjacent territory, and strengthen garden paths. This innovation has been successfully applied to prevent soil shifts, reinforcing, and strengthening slopes. The geogrid provides strength garden paths, their long-term operation not only in the country, but also on the site of a private house.
The main characteristics of the geogrid are:
- resistance to corrosion, temperature extremes;
- obstruction of soil movements;
- providing a comfortable environment for plants (their root system);
- repetition of the features of the terrain when laying the geogrid;
- obstruction of siltation;
- environmental Safety;
- ease of installation or dismantling;
- reasonable cost.
Geogrid - what is it?
A geogrid is a honeycomb building material made from a geosynthetic polymer. The size of the cells varies depending on the purpose of the grid. The height of the cells, as well as the length or width, may be different. High strength welds guarantee reliable fastening of sections that are staggered.
This material, when stretched, creates a stable reinforcing cage for subsequent construction work, during which the cells are filled with crushed stone, sand, soil or other fillers.
For various applications, two types of cellular structures are used - voluminous and flat. Volumetric geogrid (or volumetric geogrid) is attached using metal or solid plastic anchors.
The honeycomb height of such a material varies from 5 to 30 cm, has similar diagonal indicators. Volumetric geogrid does not lose its operational qualities for 50 years. The design is resistant to environmental aggression, its installation does not imply any special difficulties, it is also able to withstand temperatures from -60 to +60 ° C.
A feature of the flat type geotechnical grating is the mechanical fixation of the material with which the cells are filled. It can be gravel, gravel, sand or soil. Flat geogrid is characterized by high strength in all directions, able to withstand significant static or dynamic loads.
Biaxial geogrid, application:
- for reconstruction, fixing the base of the roadway of various types (creates a separating and reinforcing layer);
- strengthening the shores of artificial reservoirs;
- in different directions of landscape design;
- in the construction of parking or parking for cars of any kind.
Geogrid paths in the garden or in the country
The geogrid can be used to create new garden paths, as well as strengthen existing ones on the site.
To make a solid dirt track, it is enough to have:
- bayonet, shovel;
- wheelbarrow for soil removal;
- crushed stone or medium-sized gravel;
- device for manual compaction of soil;
- a skein of rope, pegs (to indicate boundaries);
- geotextiles (optional);
- geogrid with appropriate anchors.
The boundaries of the garden path are marked with pegs, while the width of the future border must be taken into account. According to the conceived design, the border may not be, but it must be borne in mind that its presence provides the track with protection against deformation.
Further, the soil layer from the future garden path is removed, the "working surface" is deepened. The depth of the trench is usually 25 cm, but if the soil on the site is mainly clay or peat, the digging depth can be increased to 30-40 cm.
When the excess soil is removed, the base of the future path is carefully rammed, followed by the laying of the geogrid and its backfill. If the type of soil on your site is peat, clay or marshy, then it is recommended to lay geotextiles (polypropylene and / or polyester geotextile) on the bottom of the trench.
This technique creates additional reinforcement, an obstacle to the erosion of the soil (the foundation of the future garden path).
A polymer geogrid is laid on geotextiles, then it is attached with anchors. Crushed stone or small gravel is poured into the cells of the geogrid from above. After the honeycombs are filled with aggregate, they will no longer be visible, and at the exit a stable coating will be obtained that will not scatter or shift.
If the garden path implies the presence of a curb, then it must be installed before laying the volumetric grille, filling it. You should also fill up the geocell honeycombs with a significant excess, so that with subsequent natural subsidence of the filler, it does not fall below the partitions.
Geogrid can be used not only for paths in the country. It is also successfully used to form lawns, which will no longer be afraid of blurring or subsidence of the soil. Do not stop you from the fact that polyethylene is used for the production of geogrid - it is completely safe for humans, animals, plants.
Parking a car using a geogrid
If you set a goal so that everything at your cottage looks aesthetically pleasing, attractive, then the refinement of the access area to the site will not be superfluous. Create a convenient, harmonious, and most importantly - reliable, durable parking for the car will also help geogrid. In this case, a biaxial flat-type grating, as mentioned above, or volumetric modular structures can be used.
Car parking is a separate area of soil that will be subjected to stress. Therefore, the main task is to strengthen the basement of the entrance and parking. In addition, parking should be in harmony with the landscape design of the house or the site itself.
The use of a geogrid for parking is environmentally friendly and quite justified. Ecoparking will be a great alternative to asphalt or concrete parking lots thanks to the geogrid and the simple technology of its installation.
- In the area allotted for these purposes, the topsoil is removed, approximately 10-15 cm.
- The base is rammed, 3-5 cm of sand and fine gravel are filled up.
- The geogrid is laid on top of the sand and gravel layer. Its fragments are fastened with special locks, self-tapping screws or a pneumatic stapler.
- The cells are filled with gravel, turf or substrate, depending on the planned type of parking.
- When filling the cells with a substrate, you need to watch so that the level of fullness coincides with the upper edge of the cell.
- Ecoparking requires regular watering during the period of grass growth, at this time you should not use it.
- In all other cases, if the cells are filled with turf, gravel, parking can be used immediately.
Which geogrid should not be used for parking
We advise you to responsibly choose the geogrid. After all, you will install it for car parking for more than one year. Ask for the technical specifications of the material of which the grill is made. Otherwise, you can get this result:
The main quality of the lawn grill for car parking: it must withstand not only static, but also dynamic load, that is, the pressure of the car on the geogrid when the steering wheel is twisted in place, the load when braking or accelerating. When choosing a grate, do not focus only on its price. Professional geogrids can withstand huge loads.
Slope reinforcement and geogrid
With the help of a geotechnical grid, you can even strengthen slopes with a large slope or more gentle. In the form of fillers for the cells can be used soil, gravel, sand, pebbles, etc. Keep in mind that the steeper the slope, the greater should be the width of the side fragments of the lattice.
The geogrid for strengthening slopes is the most popular, convenient material for preventing landslides. These honeycomb structures are reliable, have good extensibility, and help to transform areas with complex terrain into individual landscape features that bear a decorative function.
Geogrid reinforcement - laying steps on a slope:
- Before laying the grate, the slope is leveled whenever possible.
- The boundaries of the slope are marked according to the steepness.
- Geotextiles are laid on the slope.
- According to the marks, high-strength anchors (60-90 cm) are installed.
- The geogrid is pulled over the anchor, the process begins from the top of the slope.
- The stretched grate is fixed with L-shaped mounting anchors. The installation step of the anchors is from 1 to 2 meters.
- At the end of the fastening, the cells are filled (top to bottom) with filler. The cells must be filled with a slide of at least 3-5 cm.
Geogrid, which can be bought relatively inexpensively, is a comprehensive technology aimed at preventing leaching, subsidence, heaving of the soil. This building material has been successfully used to enhance the bearing capacity of the soil.
Good results are obtained by filling the cells with plants with an active root system. The roots are intertwined with the lattice itself, fasteners and enhance the strengthening effect.
Today geogrid is widely used in private construction, designing design ideas in suburban areas. Let this innovative material help you to increase the level of comfort, implement new construction plans. The geogrid for paths in the garden and in the country house will not only decorate your site, but will make it more functional and convenient.