Neoloy® Tough-Cells for Strong, Durable Channel Protection
Add long-term tensile strength to channel protection and road drainage ditches with PRS Neoloy.
Key Challenges
Channels and drainage systems are often located near roads, railways, bridges, and other infrastructure. Erosion undermines these structures and leads to costly repairs or even failures. Channel protection is needed to improve infrastructure resilience and reduces the risk of disruptions to transportation and other essential services.
Neoloy Tough-Cells Solution
The contribution of geocells in channel applications is stabilization – to prevent erosion of in situ materials and protect the channel slopes and bed. In cases with severe mechanical or hydraulic forces, the use of concrete infill maximizes the strength and durability of the channel surfaces.
A Tough-Cell geocell mattress filled with concrete hard armor is defined as a flexible concrete. The concrete is reinforced by the tensile capabilities of the Tough-Cell, so that it can absorb hydraulic forces and ground movements to resist cracking. e.g., in channel and drainage applications. Neoloy Tough-Cells made of NPA (Novel Polymeric Alloy) add high tensile strength, stiffness, and resistance to deformation for a resilient, yet flexible reinforced erosion control system.
Why Neoloy
Neoloy Tough-Cells are made from innovative NPA (novel polymeric alloy) – which imparts high-tensile strength, elastic stiffness, creep resistance and environmental durability – the key properties required by ASTM, ISO and other geocell guidelines. These properties translate to long-term dimensional stability and design strength for channel, canal and waterway protection with a reliable, long lifespan. Neoloy Tough Cells are non-degradable, and resistant to weathering, extreme temperatures and water, which can affect concrete, steel and timber solutions.
Neoloy Hard-Armor Concrete Channels
Concrete solutions with Neoloy Tough-Cells are particularly advantageous in situations with high flow velocities and wave action. Neoloy Tough-Cells add high tensile strength (>16 kN/m) in the 3D cell walls (hoop strength) to concrete without rebars. Tough cells create a stiff yet flexible concrete system that tolerates ground movements without cracking and has a high factor of safety. The amount of concrete can be reduced by 30-40% with no loss of strength and durability for significantly lower project costs.
Benefits
- PRS Neoloy with soil and vegetated slopes – for green river banks subject to moderate hydraulic forces
- PRS Neoloy with hard concrete infill – on the trapezoidal channel bed (subgrade cover)
- PRS Neoloy retaining walls with aggregate infill – in sections with high flow velocities or steep slopes
- Erosion protection – cell walls protect banks against sliding, tractive and uplift forces
- Drainage and soil conservation – gives full drainage and prevents hydrostatic forces
- Bank vegetation – cells provide protected growth strata for plants
- Channel Protection – tolerates high sheet-flow conditions and prevents channeling
- Neoloy is easier to install, utilizes low-grade local granular infill and eliminates the need for underwater foundation work.
- Unique Neoloy polymer technology – high resistance to UV, oxidation, water, extreme temperatures
- Resistant to water – unlike concrete, steel and timber solutions
- Maximize channel design with retaining walls, slopes and gravel/soil slopes according to flow rates
- Cost effective – Neoloy Geocells use less concrete or other surface cover for same level of protection
- More cost effective than rip-rap or gabion solutions – which require specific sized stone
- Sustainable – topsoil cover improves soil health, plant growth and visual landscape
Additional Channel & Drainage Solutions
The low deformation Neoloy Tough-Cells are highly resilient and cost-effective geocell solutions for a variety of water management applications:
- Roadside Drainage Ditches – drainage ditches and stormwater management for transportation arteries and built structures. Neoloy adds high tensile strength to concrete to create a flexible mattress, which prevents cracking for long service life.
- Irrigation Canals – tripoidal hard armor bed and slope protection for durable water transport with low loss.
- Shorelines & Riverscapes – Neoloy Tough-Cells stabilize banks, impede coastal erosion and enhance vegetative growth, protecting the waterway from high water velocity and tractive forces.
- Water or Stormwater Management – Neoloy® Tough-Cells provide a sustainable drainage system (SUDS) or advanced stormwater management technique for the localized control of stormwater
- Reservoirs – Neoloy confinement, when combined with geomembrane gives guaranteed protection to reservoirs, in all conditions and situations
- Landfills – Integrated with geomembrane protection, Neoloy® Tough-Cells create durable impoundment berms for waste containment and treatment.
Neoloy Tough Cells are a more attractive, cost-effective and durable solution than HDPE soft-cells, riprap or gabion solutions, which require large or specific quarry stone and complicated installation.