Steep Reinforced Earth Slopes

The natural choice for steep slope stabilisation & construction

Earth retaining walls or steepened slopes are vital for slopes where maximum developable area must be maintained, or where there are abrupt level  changes. If space doesn’t necessitate vertical walls, steep reinforced earth slopes and geogrid slope stabilisation offer attractive ‘green’ alternatives at considerably lower cost.

Tensar specialises in reinforced soil or mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) systems.  Reinforced earth slopes with a face angle up to 70° can be stabilised by incorporating Tensar reinforcing geogrids laid horizontally back from the slope face in layers. The strength, spacing and length of the geogrids will depend upon the slope angle, fill material properties and any surcharge loading. Tensar’s design software TensarSoil enables optimisation of slope reinforcement design to suit your project needs.

What is slope stabilisation?
Slope Reinforcements up to 45° Face Angle
Slope Reinforcements up to 70° Face Angle
Benefits of TensarTech  Slope Stabilisation Systems

Select an Application Feature What is slope stabilisation? Slope Reinforcements up to 45° Face Angle Slope Reinforcements up to 70° Face Angle Benefits of TensarTech  Slope Stabilisation Systems

What is slope stabilisation?

Slope stabilisation is the process of improving the stability of an existing unstable slope, or prevention of instability in building a new slope. Slope stabilisation can be accomplished through a variety of methods, including the use of earth retaining walls and soil reinforcement solutions such as geogrids.

Slope Reinforcements up to 45° Face Angle

Slopes with a face angle up to 45° can be stabilised by incorporating Tensar geogrid slope stabilisation methods. Our reinforcing geogrids will be laid horizontally back from the slope face in layers. The strength, spacing and length of the geogrids will depend upon the slope angle, fill material properties and any surcharge loading. No structural facing components are usually required, which allows the face to be trimmed back to the final batter. In some cases an erosion protection mat may be installed, before seeding or planting to establish vegetation.

The TensarTech Natural Green slope stabilisation system is quick and simple to install, requiring no specialist skills. By incorporating topsoil zones behind the face structure in the design, a ‘green’ face is possible using selected plants suited to the local conditions to create a fully vegetated face.

Slope Reinforcements up to 70° Face Angle

Steeper reinforced earth slopes, with a face angle up to 70° require support at the face as well as internal stabilisation. The TensarTech GreenSlope system uses soil reinforcement geogrids for slope stabilisation, securely connected to system-specific welded steel mesh facing components. As a fully integrated slope reinforcement system, TensarTech GreenSlope structures are easy to install, and the modular nature of the system enables rapid construction using non-specialist skills, in most cases without the need for heavy lifting equipment or external propping.  

The wide base of the reinforced earth slope means bearing pressure is low and foundations are often unnecessary, significantly reducing costs by as much as 70% compared to concrete retaining walls. Costs can be further reduced by the use of locally available backfill materials – including recycled and site-won materials.

Benefits of TensarTech  Slope Stabilisation Systems

TensarTech earth retaining and slope stabilisation systems offer long-term, proven design stability, with a design life of up to 120 years. Their simple construction reduces cost and build times, can use site-won materials for structural fill and offers reduced foundation requirements – in some cases, requiring no foundation required at all.

Our reinforced slope stabilisation systems also provide aesthetically appealing, ‘green’ facing options, using selected planting to suit local conditions and including easy creation of complex or curved geometry. Additionally, most systems require neither crane lifts nor temporary propping, and they offer high resistance to dynamic and seismic loading.

TensarTech’s easy-to-install reinforced earth slope systems use a combination of soil reinforcement geogrids securely connected to facing components. Using Tensar’s highly durable geogrid slope reinforcement reduces costs by using backfill materials – including cohesive soils, recycled and site-won materials.