How to strengthen the walls of the ditch in accessible ways. How to strengthen a ditch in a summer cottage with your own hands photo. Reinforcing Drainage Walls: The Five Best Ways

How to strengthen the ditch in the country

Many summer residents in the arrangement of the territory are faced with this problem. The presence of groundwater, swampy soil leads to the creation of a drainage system. Moreover, the flooding of the site occurs for other reasons. Stormy rains or heavy snowmelt in the spring leads to flooding of the house, basement or other utility rooms.

But before you strengthen the ditch in the country, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with its device and choose the most suitable option wall fixings.

Ditch device

The creation of an effective drainage system requires the presence of at least two independent networks.

Linear is designed to drain directly the site itself. Usually it is erected when there is constant flooding. Branches of closed ditches should be separated from the top topographic point, while providing a slope of 5–10 mm per meter. All water goes into an open drainage system.
The second independent network should protect the foundation and basement of the house. Here, the reference point is the far corner of the building. The perimeter drainage ditch should also have a slight drop of 0.5 percent. To cover it, use turf or concrete paving slabs.
Any trench of this system must be at least 50 cm deep and wide. Near the foundation, this figure may be higher. For the device of drainage, such a simple method as fascines (these are bundles of rods and branches) or wooden boxes is used.
Gravel, crushed stone or just sand of different fractions are often used to strengthen the bottom. But at the same time, the walls of the ditch periodically settle and crumble. Today there are several effective ways that will allow this to be avoided.

The main ways to strengthen

Before choosing a reliable method, you should carefully measure the angle of inclination that the walls of the ditch have.

If the slope angle does not exceed 8%, then it will be enough to strengthen it with the help of various plants.
Biomats or geogrids are used with a steepness of 8 to 15%.
If the angle exceeds 15%, then geogrids and gabions cannot be dispensed with. True, with a shallow depth, you can simply use stones and drive them into the slope.

Use of slate and tires

One of the most simple ways strengthening the walls of the ditch can become ordinary slate.

In addition to the sheets will be needed metal pipes or fittings, a shovel and a crowbar, as well as a grinder and a respirator.
With the help of a grinder, the sheets are cut into identical pieces. They are placed directly into the ground to a depth of 25-30 cm straight or with a slight slope. The sheets should fit snugly against each other.
Reinforcing bars are driven in from two sides in a checkerboard pattern. It is best if they are treated with an anti-corrosion compound or paint before that.
Western builders have come up with another inexpensive way to strengthen with the help of car tires. Old tires can be laid in rows and fastened together. Stakes hammered into the middle will give extra strength. The space inside can be filled with soil, but it is better to use sand or fine gravel. It is also useful for voids between tires.
There is another way. Tires can be stacked in several rows. In this case, each overlying one is shifted by half the diameter. Then the tires also fall asleep. Using tires is very cheap, especially if you can get them for free or for next to nothing.

Of course, you can not count on too long a service life, so you should look at more expensive, but reliable materials.

Installation of geomats and geogrids

Geo- and biomats are nothing more than polymers with a waterproof structure. Polypropylene gratings are superimposed on each other under the action of high temperature. This structure is more like a washcloth, but this is done so that various plants can grow through the holes.

The first step is to prepare the slope itself. It is necessary not only to level it, but also to clean it of any debris.
Geomats are sold in rolls, so the top edge is aligned with top ditches and fixed there with anchor bolts.
The roll is rolled to the bottom, and then cut and secured with anchors.
The next roll should overlap with a tolerance of about 15 cm.
Then you need to cover everything with a small layer of soil and use the seeds for sowing. Usually enough 40 grams per m².
The geogrid is also available in rolls. It has a polyester base and square cells. Installation will require a tape measure, a marker, scissors, a hammer, as well as a rake and a hand roller.
It is with the help of a roller that the slope surfaces are well compacted and leveled.

Each roll must be cut into a certain amount of pieces, and then lay them tightly on the slope directly to each other. Anchor metal rods or staples are used for fastening. They are especially needed in places where there is a high probability of strong winds.
The geogrid is also covered with a layer of soil and plants such as periwinkle, mint or bryozoan are planted. True, you can just use small gravel or pebbles.

But for a more durable strengthening, you will need the use of a geogrid.

Geogrid installation

It is based on polypropylene and polyethylene. This alone suggests that this is a very high-strength and durable product. In addition, the geogrid is not afraid of corrosion and can last for many years.

Since the cells of the geogrid can be stretched both in length and in width, their tight adhesion to the soil or crushed stone occurs. In addition to rolls, you will need anchor fasteners, scissors, a hammer, as well as fine gravel and sand. You may need a pump.
Installation work can only be carried out when the drainage ditch is not filled with water and all slopes are absolutely dry. Therefore, it is necessary not only to pump out water, but also to prepare the surface. It is necessary to remove all debris, large stones and branches. In this case, small grass can not be touched.
The geogrid is spread along the entire length of the ditch. In this case, an unnecessary piece must be cut off immediately.

by the most milestone considered to be correct. After all, then the service life will be at least twenty years. You can buy fasteners or make your own. For this, hooks from ordinary fittings are used. The thickness should be 1.5 cm, and the length should be 50–110 cm. Such hooks are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other in a checkerboard pattern.
It remains only to fix all the cells well. Sand is suitable for a dry ditch. If it is often filled with water, then it is better to use crushed stone or river pebbles. It is even better if the slopes are sown with ground cover plants. Over time, this will lead to even more adhesion to the geogrid.

The most expensive, but most successful solution may be to strengthen the slopes of the ditch with the help of a gabion.

Advantages of the gabion

This factory product is a product made in the form of a parallelepiped of metal mesh double twist and filled with large stone or crushed stone.

For the manufacture of gabions at the factory, a special galvanized wire is used, which also has a PVC coating. It is she who reliably protects this structure from corrosion, aggressive chemical environment and mechanical damage. Even heavy loads are not terrible. Average term operation can be more than 70 years. But this affects the cost.
Therefore, you can make a gabion on your own. To do this, you will need reinforcement bars having a diameter of 6 mm, as well as electric welding. In addition, you need to stock up on a tape measure, a marker, a grinder, a chain-link mesh, a shovel and a wheelbarrow. You will also need cobblestones.
Design with dimensions of 80 × 40 × 80 cm is suitable for small area. Reinforcing bars are welded together, forming a structure rectangular shape. The width of the cells will depend on the diameter of the selected stones.

With the help of a shovel, it is necessary to prepare and widen the slopes of the ditch. Only then can be placed along the entire coast of the cell.
Each cell is filled with large cobblestones and, if necessary, several rows are installed at once.
The chain-link mesh is attached from above for better fixing. In order to avoid the need to change it often, it is better to choose a mesh that will also have a PVC coating. From above it is easy to strengthen with the help of cobblestones. In addition, it gives the whole structure a good decorative look.

Gabions can last the longest, while they fit well into the ecosystem. Manufacturers guarantee at least a hundred years of service.

Arrangement of the drainage system

Before you start strengthening the walls of the ditch, you need to properly equip the drainage system itself.

In addition to creating the desired slope, it is necessary to correctly make the bottom of the trench. For this, sand and fine gravel are used. With their help, the necessary pillow for the drainage pipe is made.

Its protection is carried out by a volumetric gravel filter, as well as geotextiles, which protect against the ingress of excess debris and soil.

Most often, ceramic or perforated pipes are used for drainage. asbestos-cement pipes. But in recent times began to use plastic gutters.

Note! Do not forget about the drainage well, where excess water will drain. After all, the ditch, in which there is constantly water, begins to collapse the fastest.

Modern materials will make it possible to well strengthen all the walls of the ditch, and then the threat of flooding will be reduced to almost zero.

The problem of how to reinforce the ditch on suburban area, often occurs when creating a drainage system that allows you to properly remove excess moisture from the soil. To solve this issue, both improvised means and specialized materials are used.. Knowing the rules and the sequence of their application, you will ensure the normal functioning of this necessary element of the water system.

Gabion structures have high strength and reliability.

Arranging drainage is quite simple. The main difficulties begin with its long-term operation: the ditch requires constant cleaning, otherwise the water will stagnate for a long time. The strengthening of the walls also becomes very important, since if you ignore their care, the ditch is very quickly washed out, capturing the adjacent summer cottages fertile land.

Gabions. This engineering structure is used in particularly difficult cases with a high flow rate of water in a ditch or with a large, up to vertical, angle of inclination of the drainage walls. Gabions can often be seen on the banks of mountain rivers, where they protect the banks from erosion. Gabions look like a cell made of a cellular wire mesh filled with large stones: river pebbles, crushed stone, etc.

Purpose of drainage ditches

Slate can serve as improvised material for strengthening the ditch.

The system of drainage ditches at their summer cottage performs very important function- removal of excess groundwater and lowering their level. This reduces the waterlogging of the soil and avoid flooding, especially in low areas of the territory.

The ditches can be different shapes, differ in the width and angle of the walls. If the drainage passes through the neutral territory along your fence, then it is especially important to strengthen its walls, because the soil weakened by water can begin to collapse, expanding the drainage, which will undermine the foundation of the fence.

Drainage ditches are used not only to lower the water level in the soil, but also to remove moisture from areas surrounding the foundation of the house. Thanks to this solution, the basement will not be flooded with water.

Geomats and geogrids are designed to strengthen the slope by creating and holding a plant layer on its surface. These materials have a porous structure that allows plants to develop freely. Unlike open soil porous protective materials create an inseparable layer with plants that is not washed away by water.

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Ways to strengthen ditches

There are many ways to strengthen the walls drainage ditch, but they are all used with one common goal - to prevent a further increase in the width of the sides and siltation of the bottom. Let's take a closer look at the most popular methods to achieve this goal:

Use of a geogrid. It is a flexible cellular structure made of polymer material. Cell walls are perforated to allow free flow of water. The geogrid is the most technologically advanced and correct method strengthening ditches, as it has high reliability and complete environmental safety.
The main purpose of the geogrid is to create a layer along which ground water will move freely from the source of their accumulation (in this case, the soil) to the place of unloading - a reservoir, a drainage well or another ditch.
Installation of concrete gutters. An effective, but rather expensive method, especially if the length of the ditch is significant. Concrete trays make it easy to clean the drain. Such a drain can be made quite narrow and deep, thereby preserving the area of \u200b\u200bthe site. Concrete trays can be purchased ready-made or made from your own using formwork. The latter method is even preferable, as it will make it possible to make a solid tray, without seams and joints into which water can enter.
Planting plants. This method does not always help, only on condition that the slope of the ditch walls is no more than 8-10 °.
The use of improvised means: old slate, car tires or other materials. Due to the fact that the main purpose of these materials is by no means to protect the slopes of the ditch, one cannot count on their long service life. They can only be considered as a temporary solution.
A small and shallow drainage ditch can be laid out with flat river pebbles, fastening it cement mortar, but this method is only suitable for drainage with a small amount of water.

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How is ditch protection installed?

The period of their operation, stability and reliability depend on the correct sequence of actions during the strengthening of the walls of the drainage. First of all, you should choose a way to strengthen the walls of the drainage. It is recommended to use professional modern facilities: geogrid, geomats and geogrids, especially difficult conditions- gabions.

Regardless of the method chosen, work should only be started with a dry ditch, so work is carried out during the minimum groundwater level. Let us consider in detail the installation sequence of some of the materials listed above.

Installation of the geogrid is carried out on a surface cleared of debris, large stones and branches. Perfect option- a flat slope, which may be slightly overgrown with grass. Along the upper edge of the drainage, pieces of reinforcement 50-60 cm long are hammered into the ground, and the distance between them should correspond to the size of the grid cells. The upper end of the reinforcement is bent at an angle of 90 °, thus creating an L-shaped fastener.

The mesh is put on the fasteners and stretched in the direction of the opposite side, fastening in the same way. After the lattice has taken a stable position, pieces of reinforcement or anchors make fasteners in separate cells. It is not necessary to install fasteners in each segment, it will be enough to distribute them evenly in a checkerboard pattern.

The final stage is filling the cells with fine gravel, gravel or sand. The dimension of the material depends on the speed of water movement - the higher it is, the larger the filler should be.

Geomats and geogrids are also roll material, which cover the slopes of the drainage. Under these materials, you can install a non-woven insulating material that will freely pass water, but not allow the soil layer to erode. A geomat or geogrid is laid on top of it. Their upper edge is fixed along the slope with anchor bolts, stretched to the opposite side, where the action is repeated. The surface of the material is covered with a small layer of soil mixed with seeds. lawn grass. In a couple of months, all layers will grow together, creating a reliable natural protection slope.

Gabions are used in cases where saving space on the site is critical. They allow you to make the wall of the ditch almost vertical, narrowing the drainage to a minimum.

Creating a gabion on your own requires significant financial and time costs, but the result will be robust construction that will last for decades.

For work, you will need reinforcement bars with a diameter of 5-6 mm, a fine mesh netting (preferably with polymer coated), welding machine and a large number of large stones. First, long mesh boxes are welded from the reinforcement, the height of which should correspond to the depth of the ditch. The size of the cells will be such as not to allow stones to pass through them. After installing the boxes on both sides of the drainage, they are filled with stones, and on top they cover the entire structure with a chain-link mesh, screwing it with galvanized wire to the reinforcement.

The advantage of gabions is their beautiful view, which fits into landscape design. Budget way fortifications - installation of old slate. For this, both wavy and flat coatings are used. It is buried in the ground along the slopes of the ditch, reinforced with spacers made of metal pipes or large diameter fittings.

The question of how to strengthen the ditch in a summer cottage most often arises in the presence of factors such as groundwater, heavy rains, heavy snowmelt, which can cause flooding of the house. Most summer residents are faced with this problem. The slopes of the ditches are mobile and can crumble.

The device on the ditch site is necessary so that the site and the house are not flooded with groundwater and heavy rainfall.

Today there are different ways increase strength, which can also be used to strengthen the slopes of a ravine or the shore of a pond. But, before you start strengthening the ditch in the country, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with its shape and find the most suitable option for increasing the strength of the walls.

Main characterizing factors

To create the most efficient drainage system, two independent networks are needed:

Linear. Dries up the area. Most often it is used for constant flooding. From the top point it is necessary to dilute closed ditches with a slope of 5-10 mm per meter. After that, all the water will enter the open system.
The second independent network encloses the foundation and basement of the house. The starting point at this stage is the far corner of the house. The trench must be at least 50 cm deep and wide. Gravel or sand is often used to strengthen its bottom. One of the most popular, but not the most reliable ways is to drive stones.

The way to increase the strength of the ditch should be chosen depending on the angle of its slope:

most often, slopes with an angle of more than 8% need to be strengthened (for this, it is necessary to plant the slope with plants that have a vertical-horizontal direction of growth);
with a slope steepness of 8% to 15%, it is better to use geomats or a geogrid for strengthening;
if the steepness is more than 15%, only internal reinforcement (geogrids and gabions) will help to strengthen the soil.

If the ditch has a large angle of inclination, but is not deep, you can drive stones into the slope, thereby strengthening the soil.

Strengthening slopes using geomats

The structure of the geomat is similar to an ordinary washcloth.

Geomats are a polymeric material that has a waterproof structure. It is created by imposing polypropylene gratings on top of each other under high temperature. The structure of the product is similar to a washcloth, but this serves to ensure that plants can break through it. After some time, the roots of the plants will intertwine with the gratings and thereby strengthen the slope.

Laying of geomats to strengthen the slopes is carried out as follows:

Before proceeding with the strengthening of the coast, it is necessary to clear the debris and level the surface of the slope.
Fasten the upper edge of the geomat in the upper part of the ditch.
When the desired length is reached, roll out and cut off the roll.
Straighten the folds of the material and attach the bottom.
Next, lay the next rolls in turn. Moreover, they must be laid with an overlap of about 15 cm.
Cover the finished surface with a layer of soil and plant plants (seeds should be sown on the open surface of geomats at the rate of 40 g per 1 m²).

Benefits of geogrid

The geogrid is made from glass or polyester threads. This is a very durable material long term services. Is issued in rolls, has square cells. For laying, you will need a tape measure, a marker, scissors, a hammer, as well as a rake and a hand roller. The geogrid is laid out as follows:

Grass can grow through the geomat.

Level and compact the surface with a hand roller.
Distribute geogrid rolls along the slope at a distance that corresponds to the width of one grid web.
Rolls must be rolled out by hand end-to-end.
The unfolded mesh is fastened with metal anchors every 1-1.5 m. If the territory is exposed to strong winds, the use of U-shaped brackets will be optimal.
Cover the mesh with crushed stone, stones or soil.

Geogrid cells are stretched in length and width. This contributes to its adhesion to the ground. You can start work provided that the ditch is completely dry.

Geogrid use

A geogrid is a grid consisting of high-strength polyethylene cells.

To strengthen the slopes you will need:

fine sand;
geogrid;
fasteners - fittings bent in the form of a one-sided hook, or a special plastic fixture.

The ditch is strengthened as follows:

If the ditch is filled with water, it must be pumped out (using natural drainage, a pump) or simply scooped out.
Clear the banks of the ditch, remove branches, stones.
Spread the grate along the entire length of the slope.
Fasten with fasteners (the service life of the grating depends on the quality of fastening, with correct use it will last 10-20 years).
The cells of the geogrid are filled with reinforcing material (gravel, sand, gravel).
Decoration. It not only performs an aesthetic function, but also helps to strengthen the coast. For decoration, small shrubs are used, which serve as additional protection against corrosion.

What are gabions?

Gabions are made of galvanized wire.

Gabions are made of galvanized wire with PVC coating. This design withstands huge loads, since the mesh has a double torsion. Gabion serves up to 100 years due to its porous structure. It can be done independently.

Manufacturing steps:

Reinforcement bars are welded into rectangles of suitable size.
The size of the cells should be selected according to the diameter of the stones.
Widen the slopes of the ditch with a shovel.
Install the welded structure on the banks of the ditch.
Fill the cells with stones.
From above, cover the gabion with chain-link mesh (preferably galvanized, since it does not rust) to enhance the reliability of the structure.
Strengthen the edges of the mesh with stones.

Strengthening slopes with slate or car tires

The easiest way to place slate sheets around the edges of the ditch is to secure them metal posts. For work, you will need fittings, a shovel, a crowbar, a grinder and a respirator. Cut the slate into equal pieces with a grinder. Immerse in the ground tightly to each other (about 30 cm deep). Drive the reinforcement from both sides in a checkerboard pattern. Before that, it is desirable to paint it.

There are two ways to strengthen the slope with car tires:

Lay the tires in rows, firmly tie them together. Hammer stakes in the middle for strength. Fill all voids (inside and between tires) with sand or soil.
Lay the tires in “steps”, fill the rows with available material.

Before starting work, regardless of the chosen option for strengthening the soil, properly equip the drainage itself.

Work features:

In addition to arranging the necessary slope, make a trench bottom of sand and gravel. Also need a pillow for the pipe.
The use of geotextiles or a volumetric filter (for example, gravel) will exclude the ingress of debris and soil.
For drainage, plastic pipes, ceramic and perforated products are used.

It is worth taking care of the drainage well into which water is drained, since the ditch with constant stagnation will quickly collapse.

A drainage ditch in the country is something that is almost near every site. And not infrequently, problems arise with her, namely, her walls crumble, as a result of which she becomes at least not beautiful, not to mention how she copes with her function. And the function of the drainage ditch is to divert excess water from the site and buildings on it, formed during a flood or a downpour.

Before you strengthen the ditch in the country, you need to make sure that its device corresponds to the task assigned to it, below we will consider what options for the device of the ditch can be.

Ditch device in the country, options

Depending on the slope of your site, the volume of water that your ditch periodically has to take, you need to choose the type of this ditch that suits your needs. In addition, you can pay attention to how your neighbor’s ditch is arranged, whether this solution suits him, perhaps it would be better to make them the same and thereby ensure common system storm drain near your sites. The picture below schematically shows the main types of ditching in the country and options for strengthening it.

Effective drainage system is not limited to a ditch, it must consist of at least two independent networks

One of them - linear system sewers, described in detail in this article. Typically, such a sewer is built with constant flooding of the site. The upper point of such a sewage system is marked, depending on the slope of the site, and a network of channels is bred from it, while the channels themselves have a slope of at least 5 mm relative to the upper point for each meter of the channel. Thus, all the water from the site is collected in an open drainage system.
The second is drainage around the house, detailed here. For him top point there will be a far corner of the building. The drainage network, equipped along the perimeter, is also made with a slope of the same 5-10 mm per meter, it is covered with turf or paving slabs

Consider additional requirements for system trenches. The trenches should be at least 50 centimeters wide and deep, it is desirable to make larger trenches near the foundation. In order to strengthen the bottom of the trenches of the systems, crushed stone, gravel or at least sand can be used, it is desirable to compact it. For trenches of the above drainage systems, strengthening the walls is not required, since they are still covered with earth or concrete trays are inserted into them, but for a ditch near the site, this is necessary. Ways to strengthen the walls of the ditch in the country, we will consider below.

What are the ways to strengthen the ditch in the country?

The chosen method of strengthening the ditch depends on the angle of inclination of its walls. Depending on this angle, the following strengthening methods are divided

Strengthening the ditch with improvised materials

The simplest and available material strengthening the walls of the ditch is slate. What it looks like when finished

For the construction of such a structure, we need, in fact, the slate sheets themselves, metal pipes or fittings, a sledgehammer to drive them in, of course, a shovel, possibly scrap. And also a grinder for cutting slate sheets into the desired identical pieces, it will not hurt to put on a respirator, there will be a lot of dust when cutting. Sliced sheets of slate are placed directly into the ground to a depth of about 30 centimeters, while the sheets should fit snugly against each other. Pipes or fittings are needed in order to fix the positions of the slate sheets, they are driven in a checkerboard pattern on both sides of the sheets.

Another material that is abundantly used by summer residents due to its availability is car tires. Old tires are stacked in rows and fastened together with bolts or ties, the voids inside the tires are covered with soil or sand gravel, to give even greater strength to this structure, metal rods are hammered into the middle.

Another option with tires involves laying them not in rows, but in the form of a ladder. Each new row is laid on the previous one with a shift of half the diameter of the tire. When such a ladder is laid, it is also covered with soil or sand gravel.

Geomats and geogrids

To begin with, let's figure out what geomats, biomats and geogrids are. So, geomats and biomats are polymers with a waterproof structure, they are made from polypropylene gratings superimposed on each other under high temperature. This structure allows plants to break through them, but at the same time it retains water resistance. Let's look at an approximate scheme for laying geomats on a slope:

The geogrid is a polymer grid with a square cell, usually on a polyester basis. Approximate scheme of its laying:

Rigid geogrid for ditch reinforcement

The geogrid is a stronger and more durable solution than all those described above, the geogrid is made from polyethylene and polypropylene, given material not subject to corrosion and can last a very long time. Apply a geogrid in very deep ditches, almost ravines

Consider an approximate scheme for strengthening a ditch slope with a geogrid:

1. Slope preparation, similar to geomats and geogrids

2. It is necessary to stretch the geogrid along the entire slope of the ditch, if necessary, cut off the excess

3. The geogrid is fixed to the ground with anchor rods, the thickness of which is from 1.5 cm. and length from 50 cm, it is necessary to install fasteners over the entire surface of the geogrid in a checkerboard pattern with a step of about 30 cm.

4. Cells of the geogrid are covered with either crushed stone if the ditch is often filled with water, or sand if it is dry most of the time. As well as the previous options, it is possible to sprinkle with soil and plant ground cover plants.

Strengthening the ditch with a gabion

This is the most durable and strong, but expensive material for strengthening the walls of ditches and not only, factory products can be of almost any shape. Essentially this metal grate filled with stones made of galvanized wire with pvc coated for additional corrosion protection. By the way, from the French gabion is translated as a basket of stones.

The use of gabion as a ditch reinforcement material is very expensive pleasure, therefore, in this case, we will not be the scheme for installing it. With a factory gabion, it is advisable to order and install it on site from specialists, as a rule, such companies work this way. But the result is pleasing to the eye, if aesthetics and high-quality performance are important in this matter, despite the relatively high price, then this will be the best choice. In addition, manufacturers guarantee from 70 years of service of such structures.