Field studies on the soil loss reduction effectiveness of three biodegradable geotextiles

final version published on line: https://www.agroengineering.org/index.php/jae/article/view/799

Abstract
Biodegradable geotextiles have the potential to significantly
reduce soil loss and ensure slope stability in areas at risk. Here, we
focus on three biodegradable textiles (namely, jute net, jute mat,
and wool mat), and study their response in terms of soil loss to
diverse precipitation events (average rainfall intensity from 3.7
mmh−1 to 70 mmh−1 and duration from 0.5 h to 11.6 h).
Experiments are conducted in an ad hoc developed outdoor steep
slope (more than 60%). Soil loss reduction from the treatments is
found to be very remarkable (up to 98%), thus supporting the
potential of natural materials for soil conservation. Also, experimental
findings confirm that the maximum intensity of rainfall
events plays an important role in driving soil erosion.