Slope management requires an understanding of reactive and
proactive maintenance. Mott MacDonald has a significant track
record in slope maintenance, both with management and engineering
design.
Planting to improve slope stability and as an
environmental screenIn addition to hard engineering
solutions for earthworks infrastructure maintenance, vegetation and
slope drains have been identified as methods which can extend the
life of slopes, albeit not for the same length of time.
In a proactive approach the identification of slopes with a risk of
eventually becoming unstable is of paramount importance. This
identification method has been pioneered by Mott MacDonald.
Vegetation is used in high risk areas to reduce the likelihood of
shallow failures of the slope. The vegetation reinforces the soil
and controls the slope’s moisture content. This technique is also
aesthetically pleasing but needs to be managed. Mott MacDonald is
able to ensure that the right mix of vegetation occurs for short
and long term stability while ensuring that safety, for example
sight lines, is not compromised.
Slope drains are particularly affective on clay slopes of highways
and have been used less effectively on railway embankments. Mott
MacDonald understands that knowledge of embankment behaviour is
essential before slope drains can be recommended.
Our experience and proactive approach has been recognised by the
award of the Construction Industry Research and Information
Association’s (CIRIA) project on infrastructure maintenance.
