Bioengineering Techniques Associated with Soil Nailing Applied to Slope Stabilization and Erosion Control

Abstract

Slope failures in the tropics are directly related to the rainfall intensity. Refining techniques to prevent rain-induced slope failures play an important role, especially for the risky occupied areas close to big cities—the final destination from people who migrates from rural to urban areas. This paper presents the implementation of bioengineering associated with nailing techniques to control erosion and prevent rain-induced failures in a 35-m-high rocky slope (Ponteio Slope). The exposed phyllite rocks of this slope and the absence of a proper drainage system have been the identified as the trigger mechanism to the successive failures verified since 1953. In the past 15 years, berms and a concreted cover were built as attempts to stabilize this slope, but no drainage system was associated with those works. In December 2003, the implementation of bioengineering and soil nailing techniques in a total area of