fourdimensions secugrid® ecology ecology

FOURDIMENSIONSSecugrid®ECOLOGY

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naue_4D_fly01_05_2009_oecologie:08_2009 19.08.2009 15:51 Seite 1

The four dimensions of length (the bar), width (the geogrid), depth (the soil) and the time (durabi-

lity) greatly influence construction project scope, design, product selection and expected service

life. Today, NAUE introduces you to a new four-dimensional way of understanding reinforcement

applications: the Four Dimensions of Secugrid®.


As countries continue to de -vel op their infrastructures tobetter support rising popula-tion numbers and to replaceold, under-designed infrastruc-tures, an undeniably importantissue in global growth has be-come the control of carbonemissions. Better constructionpractices can play a large rolein reducing our carbon foot-print - and not just at the con-struction site. Though it co-mes as a surprise to some,

geosynthetic reinforcement ofsoils is an important andhighly accessible way to re-duce CO2 production.

NAUE Secugrid® geogrids areused mainly for base reinforce-ment, mechanically stabilisedearth (MSE) wall constructionincluding veneer stabilisation,segmental retaining wall (SRW)markets, embankment reinfor-cement, load transfer platformsover pile caps and other soil

reinforcement applications.Biaxial geogrids are primarilyused in base reinforcement ap-plications, while uniaxial geo-grids are often used in the oth -er markets.

When Secugrid®is installed inthe base courseof a paved or un-paved road, itdramatically in-creases the load- bearing capacityof the road whileconfining thebase course ag-gregate laterally(in what is

known as the interlocking ef-fect). The superior stress/strain characteristics of Secu -grid®, especially in the keyelongation range - less than2% - delivers a very high mod -ulus, which means Secugrid®picks up the stresses, such asfrom increased traffic, quicklywith little or no movement inthe overlying soil materials.So how does this help controlCO2 emissions? Secugrid® in-creases the strength of the

base course so significantlythat far less aggregate may beused. Aggregate is heavy andexpensive to transport. Sitepreparation with all that ag-gregate is time-consumingtoo. These high load shipments

and site preparation equipmentemit considerable CO2. Re - ducing the need for aggregate- which also quarrying requiresand processing before ship-ment - greatly decreases thecarbon footprint of a construc-tion project.

Each day we see more andmore how greener practices arenot just nice ideas but econo-mically smart.

Secugrid® reinforcement de-creases the dependency onbase course thickness becauseof the superior stress/straincharacteristics of its geogridbars. The elastic modulus ofthe base course is improved;

loads are better distributed;aggregate does not migrate lat erally or mix vertically. Theroad does not break down fromwithin (e.g., rutting and re-flective cracking). The instal-lation of Secugrid® saves onaggregate today and mainte -nance tomorrow. Quicker con-struction, better long-termperformance: all while re ducingour carbon footprint.

DIMENSION1Decreasing Our Carbon Footprint

Technical advantages: High-strength, high-modulus, robust geogrid bars for sustainable performanceCustomer advantages: Safe and long-lasting stress transfer in the designQuality advantages: Superior manufacturing method for ensuring reinforcement strengthEcological advantages: Roads hold up better with less aggregate; steeper walls can be built.

»Protecting the environment is one of the most important tasks in this

century.«


In areas where quality buildingsites and space are tough tocome by - a common problemespecially in developed nati-ons - or where project economyand space are an issue, steepermechanically stabilised earth(MSE) walls may be achievedwith Secugrid® reinforcement.

Secugrid® helps optimise theuse of available land. Withtheir high strength, high mo-dulus, interlocking effect and

low creep rates, Secugrid® po-lyester geogrids are the bestcandidate for such applicati-ons. The combination of excel-lent stress/strain characteri-stics and the very goodlong-term creep-resistance va-lues of Secugrid® allows for aneconomical way to select ahigh-strength geogrid for thesecritical, land-saving MSE ap-plications.

Steeper walls offer numerousadvantages. Notably, while theuse of space is maximised, sitedisturbance is minimised. Inbuilding steeper walls through

the installation of Secugrid® -which can make mountain ro-ads possible, promote sustai-nable urban development, andincrease space and profitability- one also realises valuable en-vironmental benefits.

Engineers and contractors wor-king on projects where sustai-nability is an issue can gaincredit through this better useof space that Secugrid® rein-forcement geogrids promote.

Just as with road construction,building these taller walls cansave time in construction when

you use Secugrid®. The ro-bustness of the material pro-tects the geogrid during in-stallation, when manygeosynthetics are damaged byequipment, poor handling orlack of proper site preparation

or aggregate selection. Secu -grid® is durable not only forthe long-term design of your

installation but against thenear-term damage that canhappen during installation.Shipped in rolls and deployedeasily on site, Secugrid® savesproject teams money in timeand labor.

Minimal disturbance, maximumbenefit.

DIMENSION2Better Use of Land

Technical advantages: True biaxial strength and radial stress transfer and interlockingCustomer advantages: Reduced long-term maintenance issues. Ease of installationQuality advantages: Round the clock quality control, ISO 9001 audited, CE marking Ecological advantages: Optimised Secugrid® for soil reinforcement reduces transport needs (and costs) to site

»Christopher Columbus discovered a new continent – you can maximise the use of your land.«

Performance of Secugrid® compared to other geogridreinforced sections as base course stabilisation

Calculation diagram forcrushed graveland rock base course - unreinforcedand Secugrid®reinforced


Erosion is a significant problemto the environment - particu-larly erosion that results frompoor construction practices.Most often we hear or readabout erosion at sites underconstruction: muddy runoff,lack of silt fence, inlet clog-ging, etc. On major construc-tion sites, these problems haveresulted in millions of eurosworth of fines.

But long-term erosion and theproject choices that cause it,merit a larger place in con-struction discussions. For ex-ample, walls that begin to leanand roads that crack or rut. Se-diment that migrates from thesesites plays a much larger role inthe pollution of waterways thanmost people realise.

Regarding the mitigation ofshort-term erosion - erosion du-ring construction - Secugrid®and Combigrid® reinforcementreduces the need for aggregatein base course and minimisesthe need for site disturbancethrough the construction ofsteeper MSE walls.

Decreased shipments of aggre-gate reduce wear and tear ontransport roads and the loss ofaggregate in transit. Also, theneed for heavy haulageaccess to construction si-tes is reduced, so on-siteerosion is lessened.

The robustness of Secugrid® al-lows for faster installation with-out sacrificing safety or qua-lity. With wall construction dis-turbing less land and roadsbeing built faster, Secugrid® en-ables quicker projects and al-lows project teams to install

erosion control and vegetationmeasures sooner. So in additionto the critical strength and per-formance Secugrid® brings tothe internal stability of a con-struction, it also provides forexcellent short-term supportagainst erosion.

In the long term, one must beconcerned with the internalbreakdown of an installationthat could expose it to exces-sive water infiltration, accele-

rating erosion, and, ulti mately,failure. Secugrid® prevents that.

In roads, Secugrid®’s true bia-xial strength and aperture sta-bility enable the interlockingeffect within a granular/soillayer. The aggregate interlockswith the geogrid through theapertures, which physically pre-

vent lateral movement of theaggregate. As forces are inducedinto the soil from above, Secugrid® absorbs the tensileforces and distributes themthrough the overall interlockedsystem. The absorption and dis-tribution of tensile forces plusthe aperture strength of Secu -grid® locks the aggregate inplace. It will not migrate. Assuch, the biaxial strength of thegrid provides support in all di-rections for the entire design.

Strength and stability inside theroad prevents rutting and whichfor they are problems that de-velop first within a road. As lo-ads are applied from above, Se-cugrid® reinforcement securesthe road from the inside out.

DIMENSION3 Guarding Against Erosion

Technical advantages: High stress/strain characteristic provides multiple benefits - better distribution of tensile forces, longer service lives, improved long-term project economy, and much more

Customer advantages: Reduced dependency on aggregate, less long-term maintenance, maximised site useQuality advantages: The wide range of quality products made of polypropylene or polyester with strengths up to 400 kN/mEcological advantages: Maximising space use is a project characteristic that improves sustainability. Reducing material shipments

(e.g., heavy aggregate) is also an important environmental benefit

»The perfect bodyguard.«


There are many sayings abouttime, and nearly all of themstress the importance of actingwhat saves later. This is partic -ularly true in regards to pro -tecting the environment. Andwhile it wasn’t that long agothat many believed preventa-tive measures against environ-mental degradation were pro -hib itively costly, this iscer tainly not the case. Secu -grid® provides an economical,highly-engineered solution forcommon and unique applica -tions where reinforcement is notjust useful but necessary andan improvement to the envi-ronment.

Secugrid®’s vital characteristicsmake this fourth ecological di-mension of time possible:strength transfer in the geogridbars due to Secugrid’s manufac-turing process; the radial inter-locking of aggregate and thetransfer of stresses to the geo-

grid; and the reduced need foraggregate in base course andthe strength to construct steeper walls. All of it leads tosmart construction for imme-diate and long-term environ-mental stability.

These material characteristicsenable faster installations with -out sacrificing quality; signifi-cantly slow degradation and re-flective-cracking of roads; reducesite disturbance requirements;and provide greater longevitydue to higher internal strengthof constructions. And all of theadvantages of Secu grid® in thisdimension lead to project costsavings and better performance,today and in the future.

Secugrid® not only makes pre-viously impossible designs pos-sible (such as the scale onwhich modern MSE walls can bebuilt), it greatly improves thelongevity of standard and

unique constructions by pro - viding superior internal stabilitythat protects the core of con-structions from damaging ex-ternal elements.

Roads and walls last longer andrequire less mainte nance.

The decisions we make in con-struction have long-term con-sequences. Aggregate ship-ments increase carbon emissions and the quarrying of ag-gregate is a hard practice that

strips land of precious re -sources. To build outwards rath -er than upwards alters land thatmight be used for better pur -poses. Secugrid® geogrid rein-forcement solves these concernsand helps preserve the environ-ment as best we can while stilldeveloping our infrastructures,expanding our businesses, andcorrecting the construction decisions of old.

DIMENSION4 Longer Life, Less Maintenance

Technical advantages: Long-term resistance and performance of Secugrid® soil reinforcement geogridsCustomer advantages: Quicker installation in the project, longer lasting designQuality advantages: Excellent and durable long-term creep performanceEcological advantages: Long-lasting designs, reducing carbon footprint and minimising use of finite resources

Aggregate thickness and cost savings for unreinforced and Secugrid® reinforcedunpaved roads

»Imagine all of the things you could do

if you saved time and money?«

Cost comparison between a geogrid reinforced steep slope and a steel concreteretaining wall (Idstein, Germany)


Secugrid® geogrids are produced with a new dimension of manufacturing technology. The reinforce-

ment element is a highly-oriented polypropylene or polyester bar that is uniformly extruded and

drawn to achieve a high modulus and high strength at low elongations. This is combined with the

NAUE-patented welding technology to provide a structurally sound and stable geogrid. Secugrid® is

used mainly for base reinforcement, mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall construction including

veneer stabilisation, the segmental retaining wall (SRW) market, embankment reinforcement, load

transfer platforms over pile caps and other soil reinforcement applications. Biaxial geogrids are

primarily used in base reinforcement applications, while uniaxial geogrids are often used in the other

markets.


The information contained herein is the best to our knowledge, true and accurate. There is no implied or expressed warranty.© 2009 by NAUE GmbH & Co. KG, Espelkamp-Fiestel, Germany · All rights reserved. · Status 08/2009 · *Patent No.: 6,572,718 B2

®

, Combigrid® and Secugrid® are registered trademarks of NAUE GmbH & Co. KG.

NAUE GmbH & Co. KGGewerbestrasse 232339 Espelkamp-FiestelGermany

Phone +49 5743 41-0Fax +49 5743 41-240E-Mail [email protected] www.naue.com

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fourdimensions secugrid® ecology ecology

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