VMax from Tensar North American Green
The unique geometry of the VMax W3000 TRM maximizes root growth.

Tensar North American Green is releasing more information on the latest addition to the VMax® turf reinforcement mat (TRM) product line: VMax® W3000™. Billed as a high performance turf reinforcement mat (HPTRM), the product has been designed to accommodate vegetated shear stress of 16 psf and vegetated velocity of 25 fps.
The initial campaign email from the company notes that this enhanced VMax® product is characterized by:

  • Separate strata zones for both root and stem reinforcement for improved erosion control in high risk applications needing additional geotechnical stability
  • Corrugated 3-D structure allows for increased thickness for high compression strength and increased soil in-fill capacity for use on vegetated soils subjected to heavy loads from maintenance equipment

Tensar North American Green VMax
The design of the HPTRM allows for its use with sod or seed and soil in fill. The product may also incorporate percussion-driven earth anchors for additional slope support.

A complementary story in the GeoTalk newsletter (December 2013) reports on the strong performance of VMax® W3000™ in recent channel tests. The testing was carried out by an independent third-party laboratory (TRI Environmental) at the lab’s standardized, full-scale erosion control testing facility in South Carolina.
In the GeoTalk story, Tensar North American Green reveals that:

  • Tests were conducted according to ASTM D6460, which addresses the performance of RECPs in the protection of earthen channels from storm water-induced erosion. Simulating conditions typically found on a construction site, the testing was designed to determine the magnitude of flow-induced shear stress in the vegetative phase to the point that excessive erosion occurs.
  • Three plots of vegetated W3000 HPTRM, installed over highly erodible loam soil, each received four hydraulic runs lasting one hour apiece on a 20% grade rectangular flume. During testing, the laboratory’s maximum flow discharge volumes were reached. Designated points on each plot were measured for soil loss before and after each flow event.
  • Test results indicated an exceptional vegetated design shear stress of 16 psf and velocity of 25 fps. Although extremely high levels of shear stress were achieved, the 0.50 in. soil loss failure threshold was never reached.
  • Testing also concluded that the vegetation’s performance was increased by over 250% compared to unreinforced vegetation.

Learn more about the new VMax
SEE ALSO: VMax Flyer (PDF)
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SOURCES
Tensar GeoTalk
Tensar North American Green

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