EcoArmour In Action on Railway Cuttings

When a V/Line railway cutting in Merbein, Victoria fell into disrepair, Erizon were called out to undertake a site visit and inspect the damage. During this visit, Erizon noted substantial erosion that was visible at the batters, with the primary cause likely due to poor drainage that was supercharged by storm events, inappropriate cutting design, a lack of regular maintenance and potentially structurally weak soils. In addition to a standard site inspection, Erizon also undertook a drone survey to generate a detailed 3D model to enable drainage modelling with a high level of accuracy and to determine the precise application area and rate for EcoArmour.

   

   

With an abundance of native plant species that had to be carefully managed, the objective from V/Line was clear:

• Reduce adverse and ongoing degradation
• Address complaints from all stakeholders
• Implement a functioning asset for the future

After inspecting the site, the Erizon staff noted the following project challenges:

• The project would have a short duration due to high intensity, seasonal rainfall
• They were working with a sensitive receiving environment (a tributary of the Murray River)
• Working with poor and structurally weak soils
• Necessary bridge abutment protection
• Management of native plant species
• Adhering to stringent project timelines

V/Line undertook independent, rigorous assessments for the available erosion control products on the market. Their requirements list included the following:

• Product Warranty
• Design Life
• Installation Time
• If there were any requirements for soil testing & amelioration
• If the product could be applied on top of dispersive soils
• If earthworks were required prior to the application of the product
• If plantation was required
• What the ongoing maintenance costs would be
• If the product was able to offer resistance to hydraulic forces and the impact of raindrops
• What the cost would be (supply & install)

At the conclusion of the independent assessments, the results were presented to V/Line by consulting engineers, and Erizon was chosen as the preferred contractor to supply and apply our robust erosion control blanket (EcoArmour) for different erosion zones within their site.

   

Why did they choose EcoArmour?

EcoArmour’s innovative synthetic erosion control blanket stabilises surfaces for 20+ years while providing a product warranty and guarantee. With no surface preparation works required prior to the application, EcoArmour can be applied without testing and rectifying underlying soils and can be applied directly on top of dispersive soils. With minimal ongoing maintenance costs, EcoArmour can be applied quickly, utilising our specialist HydroRigs – and will dry within three hours of application. Compared to conventional alternatives like concrete matting and Shotcrete, EcoArmour stands alone as a cost-effective solution that can withstand strong hydraulic forces. From start to finish, Erizon handled this project with a focus on utilising advanced technology to deliver our promise of “Supply, Apply, Guarantee®”.