How ECMDS^® Works for You

North American Green’s Erosion Control Materials Design Software (ECMDS) Version 4.3 provides computer-assisted selection of materials for slope erosion protection and channel scour resistance.

The Data Behind ECMDS
Recommendations within ECMDS are based on data from laboratory and field research involving erosion control blankets, turf reinforcement mats, vegetation, TRM reinforced vegetation, and riprap.

USDA and FHWA Design Procedures
ECMDS uses advanced design procedures developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It provides performance-guaranteed recommendations for all North American Green products.

Units and Unit Conversion
Input and output data can be either English or System International (metric) units. Data can also be converted once it’s entered.

Print or Save Your Analysis
Output from an individual analysis in the Slope or Channel Modules can be printed or saved to files for future editing or reference. ECMDS also provides viewable and printable back-up computations to support the analysis output.

Temporary and Permanent Solutions
By providing assistance with both temporary and permanent erosion control analysis, ECMDS ensures design protection for your site from start to finish.

Questions?

ECMDS offers an in-depth, searchable reference manual that can be viewed on-screen or printed. You can also call North American Green Technical Services with any questions.

Slope Protection Design with ECMDS

The ECMDS package offers slope erosion-protection engineering design that is advanced far beyond other recommendation systems. The ECMDS Slope Protection Module is the first performance-based selection system ever developed for rolled erosion control products.

The program takes into consideration site parameters including slope gradient, slope length, soil type and erodibility, vegetation type and density, and regional precipitation distribution data when analyzing the performance of a proposed material on a specified slope.

Dependable soil-loss calculations were obtained through procedures and equations from the USDA Agriculture Handbook #703, “Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE).” ECMDS uses those calculations for material evaluation and erosion control analysis.

Erosion control materials include all North American Green erosion control blankets, mature vegetation, and mature vegetation reinforced with the Vmax³ composite turf reinforcement mattings (SC250, C350, and P550) or P300.

Channel Protection Design

The Channel Protection Module uses calculations from Federal Highway Administration Hydraulic Engineering Circular #15 (HEC15), “Tractive Force Procedure,” and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook #667 (AG HBK 667), “Design Method for Grass-Lined Open Channels.”

ECMDS provides accurate channel hydraulics and stability analysis of lining materials such as North American Green’s rolled erosion control products (RECPs), vegetation, and riprap. The program enables effective analysis of these materials in both straight and curved channel reaches.

The Channel Protection Module integrates a highly advanced procedure for designing geosynthethically reinforced vegetative channel linings, called the 3 Phase Design System. The 3 Phase Design System analyzes erosion control and reinforcement functions of North American Green’s Vmax³ products or P300 erosion control/turf reinforcement mattings throughout each vegetative lining development phase—unvegetated, partially vegetated, and fully vegetated. The 3 Phase Design System allows a complete check of channel hydraulics and lining stability through each phase. It assures the development of a permanently stable reinforced turf channel.

Vegetation Selection

The Vegetation Module of ECMDS assists designers in selecting vegetation species well adapted to the environmental conditions and erosion control needs of a particular site.

The module uses site-specific information, such as location, soil type, moisture, and planned site maintenance, to provide a list of adapted grasses and legumes. It also provides corresponding seeding rates, growth habits (bunch and sod forming), and longevity for each species.

Effective Specifications Development

Once a suitable product (or combination of products) is selected within the Slope or Channel Modules, ECMDS provides material specifications in a variety of formats.

Standard Material, Supplemental, Construction Standards Institute (C.S.I.), Performance, and Project Specifications are included as text files accessible for viewing, printing, and—in some cases—editing, for inclusion in complete project specifications.

Get ECMDS Free Now

To order ECMDS, call your local authorized distributor or North American Green Customer Service at (800) 772-2040.

ECMDS is also available for download here.

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Technical Questions?
Call (800) 772-2040 or e-mail now.