Application of Porous Concrete for Natural Slope Protection

Abstract

Natural slope protection is challenging all over the country. The study assessed the application of newly designed porous concrete block over conventional concrete block in slope protection. In the study, four different types of concrete blocks were designed; three of them were 8″×8″×3″ and one was 9″×9″×3″ in size. One 8″×8″×3″ porous concrete block design was selected based on it’s compressive strength. Another conventional concrete block of same size was selected for comparing the results. After preparation, the porous and conventional concrete blocks were placed on the slope of a selected earthen canal in a 3-row and 11-column format. According to the findings, the porous concrete block was vegetative while the conventional concrete block was not. The porous concrete block required less volume of materials, which reduced the cost by 18.2% over the conventional concrete block. It is concluded that the newly designed porous concrete block is more cost-effective, light-weight, and vegetative-compatible than the conventional concrete block of the same size. Therefore, the study suggests applying the newly designed porous concrete block to protect the natural slope.