Erosion Control Using Modified Soils

As a result of Hurricane Katrina, many sections of the flood protection systems in New Orleans were eroded due to plunging water, and sections of flood walls were determinately damaged. Therefore, mitigating this type of erosion and failure is necessary for counteracting similar catastrophic events. This study evaluated the method to mitigate erosion due to plunging water by strengthening the soil with ground modification. The Vetiver plant and Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) were the two main ground modifiers used in this test. Test results showed that both POSS and the Vetiver were effective in reducing erosion. POSS showed good erosion resistance with good applicability to field soils; Vetiver showed higher resistance to erosion by plunging water, but required time to achieve a well established root/stem system.