ACEGrid® Reinforced Slope and ACEMat™ R Slope Protection System in Malaysia

This project is located on a mountainous access road in Malaysia. In October 2019, heavy rainfall caused a landslide of approximately 300 meters in length. The collapsed section of the road includes the route leading to a well-known local tourist attraction. As a result, there is an urgent need for slope rehabilitation and remediation works.

The project aimed to restore the collapsed road and secure the entire slope, covering an area of approximately 30 meters in height and 300 meters in length. The road must be rebuilt as soon as possible to solve the local traffic, tourism, and economic difficulties. The risk of future damage to the slope and the road also must be eliminated. In addition to removing the collapsed debris, the owner expected to establish a safe and durable slope protection system with many advantages, such as low cost, fast construction, aesthetic appearance, eco-friendly environment, and sustainability in the shortest possible time.

The project consisted of two stages. In the first stage, the downslope was treated first. The backfill of in-situ soil was effectively compacted with ACEGrid^®, layer by layer, to achieve the best reinforcing effect for reliable stability and safety. ACEGrid^® has excellent long-term strength, interface friction, and dependable durability, thus ensuring the safety of the restored downslope.

The second phase of the restoration was for the upper slope stabilization. After restoring the upper slope with the same slope angle as the downslope, ACEMat™ R was placed over the entire slope surface. ACEMat™ R is made of dark green polypropylene (PP) fiber. It is woven in a three-dimensional structure that promotes a strong connection between the fertilizer substrate and the growth of plants. The specially designed system also effectively improves its surface roughness and significantly reduces the slope erosion caused by heavy rain and surface run-off. Consequently, it protects the topsoil of the slope to prevent the development of natural erosion gullies.

ACEGrid^® reinforcing technique has good structural safety and can be site-specific adjusted according to the local topography. During construction, in-situ earth and rock materials can be adopted for the structure, reducing transportation costs and time. It has many advantages, such as the sustainability of energy saving and carbon reduction and the positive contribution of net zero carbon emission in mitigating the impact of climate change.

The ACEMat™ R slope surface protection system can effectively alleviate slope erosion, and its green aesthetic can reduce people's adverse perception of the exposed soil on the slope and thus minimize the visual impact. The slope vegetation is integrated well with the surrounding green forest environment creating a pleasing and harmonious landscape that enhances the overall beauty of the area.