When a V/Line railway cutting in Merbein, Victoria fell into disrepair, Erizon® was 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. Thus, Erizon developed a tailored erosion control solution for the railway cuttings.

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®” and execute a plan specifically designed for erosion control on railway cuttings.