Cellular Confinement Technology A Proven Winner

Cellular Confinement Technology A Proven Winner

    

    A homeowner in Maryland becomes a believer in the benefits of cellular confinement technology.  When faced with the challenge of creating a parking area to support customized truck and trailer designed for hauling championship racing drift cars, the options were limited to a porous aggregate paving system.  The total parking area was a 300 ft long by 13 ft. area which the local government prohibited the use of asphalt and other non permeable pavement systems.  Located at the low end of a three acre lot which is fed by stormwater runoff from the surrounding area, soft soil conditions and a high water table were the major considerations when determining which system would provide the support needed.

    The contractor for the job recommended the use of a cellular confinement system made of 100% recycled high density polyethylene.  The property owner unfamiliar with the technology agreed to 50% of the project to be installed using CCS Technology and the other half with traditional paving methods.  The traditional method was chosen for the first 150 ft span with more ideal soil conditions.  The area was excavated to a depth of 15" and consisted of a 12" base course of #2 stone with a three inch wearing surface of #57 washed aggregate.  The total cost for this portion of the project came in at $5500.

    The second half of the project using Cellular Confinement Technology required a modest excavation depth of only four inches reducing the site disturbance tremendously.  A nonwoven geotextile fabric was placed on the subgrade to prevent create a draining barrier between the aggregate and subgrade soils.  The next step required the expansion and placement of the SG300 (3 inch) cellular confinement system supplied by Cell-Tek Geosynthetics.  The honeycomb like cells were filled with #57 washed aggregate to a depth of four inches creating a surface layer of one inch over top to the cell.  The system allowed for a major reduction in excavation, aggregate material cost as well as labor cost and time.  The total cost for this section came in at $2700 creating a cost savings of $2800.

    After two months of consistent use and an unusually wet spring the unconfined traditional area is showing signs of movement and rutting.  The section where cellular confinement was utilized remains stable with no visible signs of deflection or movement.  The property owner was astonished by the results considering the confined section occupied the space with the least favorable soil conditions.  Plans have already been made to install cellular confinement to help stabilize the unconfined section.

    This side by side comparison study demonstrated the many benefits of the cellular confinement system versus unconfined traditional methods.  The confined section outperformed, reduced labor, material, and hauling cost with minimal site disturbance.  In a short time it can be determined that long term maintenance cost would be reduced as well. The cellular confinement system has demonstrated itself as the superior solution when utilized as a porous aggregate load bearing situation when confronted with the challenges of dealing with soft soil wet conditions.