Field Evaluation of Silt Fence Tieback Systems at a Highway Construction Site

Abstract

Every year, construction activities expose millions of acres of soil to the elements of wind, rain, and snow. This greatly increases the potential for erosion; and therefore, the need for efficient erosion and sediment control practices is a high priority. In this research, the performance of a silt fence system with tiebacks (a.k.a., “j-hooks”) was investigated to determine its effectiveness as a sediment control technology at highway construction sites over multiple rainfall events. The data presented provide a qualitative perspective showing sediment migration over time along with the occurrence or lack of failures among two silt fence systems tested. The results from this field test exhibit that silt fence tieback systems are more effective in containing eroded sediment from construction sites and also reduce the risk of silt fence system failures than traditional linear silt fence systems.