Vetiver Grass Application For Slope Stabilization

Living vegetation, that is purposely arranged and embedded in the ground in selected patterns and arrays has been used for many decades as a natural soil bioengineering tool to reclaim land, control erosion, and stabilize slopes. The acceptance of this 'soft' engineering approach in recent years has increased significantly partly because more information about vegetation is now available to planners and design and construction engineers.

Vetiver grass is not just another grass, it is a special grass like bamboo. Although technically a grass, vetiver plants are used in land and slope stabilization applications behave more like fast-growing trees or shrubs. Its extensive, thick root system binds the soil, making it very difficult to dislodge and extremely tolerant to drought.

Characteristics of Vetiver Grass

Structured Root System

Vetiver's extremely deep and massive finely structured root system can extend to two to three meters in the first year. Its roots have a high tensile strength that has been proven positive for root reinforcement in steep slopes, thus preventing surficial erosion and shallow mass movement.

Vetiver roots can penetrate a compacted soil profile such as hardpan and blocky clay pan common in tropical soils, providing a good anchor for fill and topsoil. This…