Overview of the project
The road and railway crossing across the Brahmaputra on National Highway-52B is located at Bogibeel, about 17km downstream of Dibrugarh in Assam. The location is an area of high intensity rainfall (the annual rainfall ranges from 2,300 mm to 3,800 mm). During heavy rains, the surface runoff along the embankment slopes erodes the surface soil, forming rills and gullies down the slope, which widen with more runoffs. The government of India has given this project utmost importance, declaring it a national project in 2007. This bridge is India’s longest Rail–cum–Road bridge spanning 4.95 kms, and a vital link between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Challenge
The main challenge was the high volume of earthwork that included embankments of heights varying from 1.5m to 15m. Prior to the work being awarded to Strata, a trial was done using various methods of slope erosion protection. The performance of all the systems was monitored over one full cycle of monsoon. Post monsoon, only the section where StrataWeb® Geocells were used, was intact.
Strata’s innovative solution
Since the height of the embankment was of the highest order, a technically advanced solution was needed. Strata was approached for the design of the slope system. The company designed the erosion protection solution and recommended and supplied StrataWeb® Style SW 445-100, a 100mm deep system with weld spacing of 445mm. StrataWeb® is a lightweight, and strong, three-dimensional, curvilinear rhomboidal shaped, cellular confinement system. It can be used as a foundation reinforcement mat as well as an erosion control barrier for slope surfaces.
The geocell efficacy was demonstrated over a stretch of 20m where rain cuts and side-slope erosion were observed to be the highest in the flood-inundated area, along the South bank of the Brahmaputra. StrataWeb® were laid and the soil infilling was done, the local Uloo grass was then planted on top.
It is reported that ever since 2016, the site, which was continuously devastated, has shown no signs of degradation, withstanding heavy rains and floods. Conditions in June 2016, during the heavy rains and floods are highlighted in the picture.
Strata’s Value addition
- Cost-effective solution helped client to save up to 50% of the cost compared to the conventional stone pitching solution
- StrataWeb® slope erosion system is a proven robust and long-lasting solution
- Faster execution of work due to ease of installation of StrataWeb® that also led to speeding up of the project
Location: National Highway-52B, bridge across Brahmaputra, near Dibrugarh, Assam, India
Client: NHIDCL / PWD Assam (NH division)
Company: K.K.M.B. (JV)
Size of the project: 325,000 sqm of StrataWeb® Geocells for the North and South banks of Brahmaputra
Scope of the work: Design, supply, and supervision with SW 445-100, SW 660-100
