Riverbank Protection, Niaosong Canal, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

"Niaosong Canal Widening and Improvement Project" was part of the program of “Flooding Mitigation for Flood Prone Area in Grand Kaohsiung Metropolitan Area” By widening, dredging, and remodeling of the canal.

The objectives of the project were to:
● resume the discharge capacity of flood control
● reduce the risk of flooding
● ensure the safety of local residents and their properties
● promote favorable land appreciation
In addition, the construction also entitled the canal to become an eco-friendly environment and a water-accessible area.

Pursuing the objectives of the project, the designer came up with a good idea of using ACE Revetment Composite System to meet all the requirements in one solution. To overcome the scouring, reinforced concrete (RC) revetment was used for the area below the water level. The revetment was then backfilled with engineered fill, sloped upward and backward to the pavement grade. To prevent the erosion of surface run-off and to minimize the possible harsh destruction due to overflow or flooding, ACEFormer™ Vegetation Type (V Type) geotextile mattress was placed on the backfilled surface. Different from traditional concrete structure, ACEFormer™ not only provides a durable surface for scouring resistance, but also offers spaces for vegetation to grow.

Since 2010, the completion of the project, the initial palish gray surface of the ACEFormer™ has been changing to richly fresh green and a variety of local species have observed on site. Although the site has experienced several challenges of strong typhoons and torrential rainfalls, the canal stays stable and the flooding damages have ceased completely. The successful experience of this project demonstrated that ACE Revetment Composite System can be beneficial for a site similar to this case.