Vmax3®
Composite Turf Reinforcement Mats
The Vmax3 Composite Reinforcement Series of turf reinforcement mats (TRMs) combine permanent, three-dimensional matting with fiber matrix material to permanently control erosion and reinforce vegetation.
The Vmax3 series offers numerous advantages over conventional TRMs, and has been proven more effective than rock riprap and concrete in applications that include severe slopes, high and extreme flow channels, spillways, streambanks, and shorelines.
Vmax3®
Composite Turf Reinforcement Mats
- Permanent erosion control and maximum vegetation reinforcement
- More attractive and effective than rock riprap and concrete
- Exceeds FHWA FP-03 standards for TRMs
- No heavy equipment needed for installation
- An EPA Best Management Practice for NPDES regulations
- No threat to pedestrians or automobiles when used near travel routes
- Highest level of erosion protection at the lowest cost
- Naturally filters runoff water
- Less than one-third the installed cost of rock or concrete
Vmax3 vs. Conventional TRMs
Vmax3 is surface-applied to provide the highest level of erosion protection at the lowest cost. Many conventional TRMs require costly soil-infilling, which is extremely vulnerable to erosion and potential seed-loss.
Vmax3 provides maximum erosion protection with a unique corrugated, permanent matting structure that forms a shear plane perpendicular to water flow, deflecting erosive hydraulic forces away from the soil surface. Unlike conventional, open-structured TRMs, the Vmax3 natural (or synthetic) fiber matrix also protects soil from the erosive forces of raindrop impact, and prevents shear-stress extraction of soil particles through the matting structure.
Vmax3 also provides maximum vegetation establishment. In contrast to conventional, open-structured TRMs, the Vmax3 fiber matrix regulates moisture and temperature for maximum seed germination and plant development. The Vmax3 corrugated matting structure also deflects shear forces away from newly planted seed while structurally reinforcing seedlings.
Vmax3 provides maximum vegetation reinforcement with a high-strength, 3-D matting structure that fortifies stem and root systems. The Vmax3 UV-stabilized, synthetic-matting structure maintains strength and integrity even under long-term exposure to sunlight. The high-strength matting structure also resists damage from natural and man-made forces such as foot traffic and maintenance equipment.
The permanent matting structure of all three Vmax3 products (without the degradable organic fiber matrix) exceeds FHWA FP-03 standards for TRMs.
Vmax3 vs. Rock Riprap and Concrete
The cost of Vmax3 reinforced vegetation is less than one-third the installed cost of rock or concrete, and because it requires no heavy equipment, Vmax3 is easier to install.
Unlike “hard” applications such as rock and concrete, Vmax3 provides "soft" protection that poses no threat to pedestrians or automobiles when used near travel routes. And where hard armor allows little or no water infiltration and/or pollutant removal, Vmax3 naturally filters runoff water by allowing infiltration, entrapping sediments, and absorbing pollutants.
Use of Vmax3 is recognized and emphasized by the U.S. EPA as a preferred Best Management Practice (BMP), when compared to rock riprap, in meeting National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations.
Rock riprap collects trash, becomes weed infested, and requires special attention using maintenance equipment. Vmax3 requires little maintenance other than periodic mowing. Vmax3 also offers a flexible lining that won't crack or deteriorate like concrete. And while riprap can harbor undesirable wildlife, Vmax3 provides a natural, aesthetically pleasing, and ecologically functional "green" landscape.
The New Maximum
The Vmax3 Composite Reinforcement Series effectively incorporates the best features of our temporary and permanent products to provide maximum erosion protection, maximum vegetation establishment, and maximum vegetation reinforcement in a wide variety of applications, including those where rock riprap and concrete were once used.
Vmax3 products are stitched on 1.5-inch (3.81-cm) centers with permanent thread, which adds significantly to their field performance capabilities. Vmax3 products have been extensively tested under field and laboratory conditions. Vmax3 P550, for example, is proven to drive the shear resistance of vegetation to over 14lbs/ft2—establishing a new maximum for vegetation reinforcement.
We are a proud participant in AASHTO's National Transportation Product Evaluation Program for RECPs.
GSA Contract Number GS-07F-8870D : 04/01/2004-03/31/2009
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