ECTC %26 ASTM Research Guidelines

 

Standardized Test Methods & Definitions In The RECP Industry

Over the past decade, standardization of the rolled erosion control products (RECPs) industry and hydraulic erosion control products (HECPs) 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.

Physical Property Testing	Standardized Test Method
	ECBs	TRMs
Mass/Unit Area	ASTM D6475	ASTM D6566
Thickness	ASTM D5199	ASTM D6525
Tensile Strength & Elongation	ASTM D5035	ASTM D6818
Water Absorption	ASTM D1117/ECTC	ASTM D1117/ECTC
Swell	ECTC Guidelines	Not Applicable
Stiffness/Flexibility	ASTM D1388	ASTM D6575
Resiliency	ASTM D1777/ECTC	ASTM D6524
Light Penetration/Ground Cover	ECTC Guidelines	ASTM D6567
Smolder Resistance	ECTC Guidelines	Not Applicable
Ultraviolet (UV) Resistance	Not Applicable	ASTM D4355*

*ASTM D1682 (4-inch strip) Tensile Strength and % Strength Retention of material following 1,000 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 material’s permissable shear stress/performance must be established by large-scale research. Several of the independent laboratories that have been used to establish TRM permissable 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
Channel	ASTM D6460

ECTC Standardized Definitions For RECPs and HECPs

Bench-Scale Test Methods
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.

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.

Hydraulic Erosion Control Products (HECP)
A manufactured, temporary degradable, pre-packaged fibrous material that is mixed with water and hydraulically applied as a slurry designed to reduce soil erosion and assist in the establishment and growth 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.

National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP)
National Transportation Product Evaluation Program

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.

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.

Sediment Retention Fiber Roll (SRFR)
A Sediment Retention Fiber Roll is a manufactured 3-dimensional device of a specified filler material encapsulated within a flexible containment material utilized in sediment and flow control applications.

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 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

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