International geosynthetics manufacturer NAUE has updated its geogrid calculator tool for unpaved base reinforcement. SecuCalc 2.2 performs generic calculation of non-reinforced and geogrid-reinforced aggregate bases.
Applications targeted by the design and cost estimation tool include roadway, access and haul road, parking lot, and similar designs.
The user-friendly functionality takes into account specific site parameters and estimated material costs. From there, it offers comparisons of unreinforced and reinforced base course, with reinforcement comparisons being drawn from the company’s widely used Secugrid® and Combigrid® geogrid products.
Additionally, the calculator details aggregate thickness, volume, and mass; area (m2) of reinforced soil; and design/system cost contrasts based upon the project-specific data.
NAUE’s more than 30 years of engineering experience in soil reinforcement provides a strong background for the tool.
The company invites interested parties to order a free copy of SecuCalc 2.2 via an online request form.
The geogrids cited in the comparative analysis of the design tool are both rooted in Secugrid® geogrids, which have flat, structured bars and welded junctions. They are engineered to provide high-strength at low strains. The Combigrid® product uniquely embeds a highly durable, nonwoven geotextile within these high-strength geogrid bars (rather than laminating the product to the outside). This construction enables the single-roll product to offer separation and filtration characteristics to the reinforcement layer. Wind farm access roads, for example, which are nearly always unpaved, use products of this style.
More information on these products and their affiliated projects can be found at www.naue.com. The company invites questions on the calculator and associated designs and products. Contact Kent von Maubeuge, kvmaubeuge@naue.com.
BENEFITS OF BASE REINFORCEMENT
Geogrids have excelled in base reinforcement designs internationally through long-term performance and cost efficiency on site. As aggregate interlocks within geogrid apertures, lateral movement of the aggregate is prevented. The strength achieved improves installations such as roadway base systems while reducing aggregate thickness–often by inches. Over the scale of a project’s engineering works, that provides tremendous savings up front in site material costs and in the time required for construction.
Furthermore, the environmental performance of the engineering is improved by geogrid reinforcement, as a reduction in aggregate means far fewer truckloads of coarse material are being transported and less aggregate needs to be harvested and processed. The overall carbon footprint of construction is reduced through the utilization of geosynthetic reinforcement.
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