Articles

September Technical Speaker 1

Turf Reinforcement Mats - Where are they used? What are their limitations? What tools are available to you to analyze their use for your project?

Michael Close, P.E. - Engineering Solutions Specialist for North American Green

Turf Reinforcement Mats (TRMs) have been used in a wide variety of applications and in combination with a number of other materials to solve many multifaceted problems.  This presentation will explain how TRMs have been incorporated into channel lining, steep slope erosion protection, dam overtopping erosion protection, levee erosion protection, among others.  Depending upon soil anchors, plate piles, geogrid soil reinforcement, etc. to provide the slope stability component of a levee, berm or steepened slope, TRMs have dovetailed well to provide the erosion control component of a project.  For shoreline protection, turf reinforcement mats in combination with gabions, polymeric gabion mattresses, coir logs, transition mats, etc. have been successfully used to create “living shorelines” in compliance with the upcoming changes in the US Army Corp of Engineers permit requirements due to be implemented in 2017.  TRMs can also be used with transition mats to provide immediate un-vegetated shear stress capacity of greater than 8 psf, depending upon your design methodology that is equivalent to the shear stress capacity provided by 12 to 21 inch diameter riprap.  Next this presentation will explain what are the limitations of TRMs, when hard armor is more appropriate, and when TRMs are more appropriate.  Finally, the presentation will finish with an explanation of TRM design methodologies and where design resources are available.

Michael Close is presently the Engineering Solutions Specialist for North American Green, a leader in the manufacturing of erosion and sediment control products. Michael received both his Bachelor and Master degrees in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University.  With over 30 years of engineering experience, half of that experience has been spent in engineering support of construction materials.  Prior to North American Green, Michael has provided engineering support for an articulated concrete block system and another hard armor erosion control product.  The first half of Michael's experience was split between 8 years with the Michigan Department of Transportation and engineering consulting.  Michael is a past president of the Eastern Branch of the North Carolina Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is a registered professional engineer in Michigan, North Carolina, and South Carolina.  Michael is also a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control or CPESC.