Application of Concrete Lozenges Channels in Slope Erosion Protection

Abstract

Water erosion is a phenomenon that threatens not only agricultural land but also road and rail infrastructure. This article investigates the slope stability against water erosion for five embankments situated on the north axis and east axes of the Moroccan linear railroad infrastructure and proposes the use of concrete lozenges channels for slope erosion protection. Using RUSLE erosion model, the assessment of the sensitivity of these infrastructures to water erosion has enabled us to deduct the essential role of water, the type of soil and the slope inclination in triggering instabilities. The new concrete lozenges channel technique proposed by this paper makes it possible to improve a percentage decrease of the soil loss rate by more than 35%. Indeed, the soil loss rate reduction depends on the concrete lozenges channel number. An increase in this number decreases the soil loss rate. For a study case, the concrete lozenges channels were sized to define the number of lozenges necessary in the vertical and horizontal directions of the slope. Important parameters must be defined for this new technique design, namely, the inclined channel section and the ditch section. In fact, the concrete lozenges channel numbers decrease if the number of ditches and inclined channel sections increases. However, the stability of these drainage structures and the project budget must be studied to find an optimal design that considers the quality-price ratio.