Over the past decade standardization of the rolled erosion control products (RECPs) industry has occurred at a rapid pace.  This progress is especially prevalent in the last three to five years with multiple standards being developed by the Erosion Control Technology Council (ECTC) and ASTM International.  While many of the noted standards were originated by the ECTC they were submitted, reviewed, balloted and approved as ASTM standardized test methods.  ASTM approval of the standards lends further international acceptance because its primary objective is as a standards development entity.  Standard developments include methods for both physical property and performance testing of both temporary erosion control blankets (ECBs) and permanent turf reinforcement mats (TRMs).  The rapid progression of these standards can result in significant difficulty for state departments of transportation and other entities when dealing with the development and inclusion of standards in specifications for RECPs.  The following is a listing of the most recent standardized test methods established through ECTC and ASTM International.

---

Index/Physical Properties

Index properties provide designers with the means to assess product quality while ensuring product conformance to specifications.

*ASTM D1682 (4 inch strip) Tensile Strength and % Strength Retention of material following 1000 hrs exposure in Xenon-Arc

---

Bench-Scale Test

Test procedures allowing for the testing of non-index parameters on a sufficiently small scale to be conducted in a laboratory.  Bench-scale test methods are designed to establish guidelines, requirements, and procedures for evaluating the effect of RECPs on seed germination and vegetation enhancement, to protect soil (sand) from hydraulically induced shear stress, and to protect soils from simulated rainfall (rain splash) and minimal runoff induced erosion.  Bench-scale test methods are not intended to replace full-scale simulation or field testing in acquisition of performance values that are required in the design of erosion control measures utilizing RECPs or any erosion control material.

Bench-Scale Index Testing Standardized Test Method Rain Splash – currently under review by ASTM ECTC Test Method 2 - Determination of Unvegetated RECP Ability to Protect Soil From Rain Splash and Associated Runoff Under Bench-Scale Conditions Shear Stress Resistance– currently under review by ASTM ECTC Test Method 3 - Determination of Unvegetated RECP Ability to Protect Soil from Hydraulically-Induced Shear Stresses Under Bench-Scale Conditions Germination– currently under review by ASTM ECTC Test Method 4 - Determination of Temporary Degradable RECP Performance in Encouraging Seed Germination and Plant Growth

---

Large-Scale Performance Research

Performance testing simulates as closely as practicable selected conditions experienced in the field and which can be used in design.  Any erosion control materials permissible shear stress/performance must be established by large-scale research.  Several of the independent laboratories that have been used to establish TRM’s permissible shear stress and design values for RECP manufacturers include Utah State University, Logan, Utah and Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Large-Scale Performance Property Standardized Test Method ECBs TRMs Slope ASTM D6459 Under Review by ASTM Channel ASTM D6460 Under Review by ASTM

---

ECTC Standardized Definitions For RECPs

Rolled erosion control product (RECP) – A temporary degradable or long-term non-degradable material manufactured or fabricated into rolls designed to reduce soil erosion and assist in the growth, establishment and protection of vegetation.

Mulch-control netting (MCN) - A planar woven natural fiber or extruded geosynthetic mesh used as a temporary degradable RECP to anchor loose fiber mulches.

Open-weave textile (OWT) - A temporary degradable RECP composed of processed natural or polymer yarns woven into a matrix, used to provide erosion control and facilitate vegetation establishment.

Erosion control blanket (ECB) - A temporary degradable RECP composed of processed natural or polymer fibers mechanically, structurally or chemically bound together to form a continuous matrix to provide erosion control and facilitate vegetation establishment.

Turf reinforcement mat (TRM) - A rolled erosion control product composed of non-degradable synthetic fibers, filaments, nets, wire mesh and/or other elements, processed into a permanent, three-dimensional matrix of sufficient thickness.  TRMs, which may be supplemented with degradable components, are designed to impart immediate erosion protection, enhance vegetation establishment and provide long-term functionality by permanently reinforcing vegetation during and after maturation.  Note:  TRMs are typically used in hydraulic applications, such as high flow ditches and channels, steep slopes, stream banks, and shorelines, where erosive forces may exceed the limits of natural, unreinforced vegetation or in areas where limited vegetation establishment is anticipated.

---

ECTC Categorization Of RECPs By Functional Longevity

Ultra-Short Term Products
Ultra-short term products are designed to last three months or less.  They are used in areas where vegetation can be quickly established and will be mowed soon after installation.  The netting and bonding materials (e.g. stitching thread) for ultra-short term products degrade quickly to prevent entanglement with mowing equipment.  These products normally contain straw, excelsior, wood mulch or other organic fibers.

Short-Term Products
Short-term products are designed to provide erosion protection for longer than three months and up to 12 months.  This is basically one growing season for the establishment of vegetation.  These products normally contain straw, excelsior, wood mulch or other organic fibers.

Extended-Term Products
Extended-term products are designed to provide erosion protection for longer than 12 months and up to 24 months.  These products are used in areas where vegetation establishment may take up to two full growing seasons.  These products are often used in semi-arid locations.  These products normally contain a combination of straw and coconut fibers or excelsior fibers.

Long-Term Products
Long-term products are designed to provide erosion protection for longer than 24 months and up to 36 months.  These products normally contain coconut fibers.

Permanent Products
These products are designed to last more than 36 months.  This category is typically made up of TRMs.

---

ASTM International Test Methods

ASTM Method Title D543 Test Method for Resistance of Plastics to Chemical Reagents D792 Specific Gravity and Density of Plastics by Displacement D1117 Methods of Testing Nonwoven Fabrics D1388 Test Methods for Stiffness of Fabrics D1776 Standard Practice for Conditioning. D1777 Standard Test Method for Measuring Thickness of Textiles D4354 Standard Practice for Sampling of Geosynthetics for Testing D4355 Standard Test Method for Deterioration of Geotextiles by Exposure to Light, Moisture and Heat in a Xenon Arc Type Apparatus D4439 Standard Terminology for Geosynthetics D4595 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Geotextiles by the Wide-Width Strip Method D5035 Test Method for Breaking Force and Elongation of Textile Fabrics D5199 Test Method for Measuring Nominal Thickness of Geotextiles and Geomembranes D5261 Test Method for Measuring Mass per Unit Area of Geotextiles D6454 Standard Test Method for Determining the Short-Term Compression Behavior of Turf Reinforcement Mats (TRMs) D6475 Standard Test Method for Measuring Mass Per Unit Area of Erosion Control Blankets D6459 Standard Test Method for Determination of Erosion Control Blanket (ECB) Performance in Protecting Hillslopes from Rainfall-Induced Erosion D6460 Standard Test Method for Determination of Erosion Control Blanket (ECB) Performance in Protecting Earthen Channels from Stormwater-Induced Erosion D6524 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Resiliency of Turf Reinforcement Mats D6525 Standard Test Method for Measuring Nominal Thickness of Permanent Rolled Erosion Control Products D6566 Standard Test Method for Measuring Mass Per Unit Area of Turf Reinforcement Mats D6567 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Light Penetration of a Turf Reinforcement Mats D6575 Standard Test Method for Determining Stiffness of Geosynthetics Used as Turf Reinforcement Mats D6818 Standard Test Method for Ultimate Tensile Properties of Turf Reinforcement Mats