Cable Concrete®
International Erosion Control Systems L.L.C.
Articulating Concrete Block
CABLE CONCRETE
Cable Concrete
is the premier precast articulating concrete block mat system. It consists of pyramidal
shaped concrete blocks interwoven with stainless steel cable, underlaid with a durable
geotextile fabric.
These
characteristics allow for unsurpassed flexibility and ease of installation. Add cable
running both lengthwise and widthwise, offering loops on all sides for clamping to
adjacent mats, and a durable erosion control system is created that can protect any size
or shape area.
Cable Concrete
provides the Owner with a cost effective solution which allows water permeability,
vegetation, contour flexibility, subsoil confinement and long term control of erosion.
CABLE CONCRETE DESIGN FEATURES
- Plant manufactured in needed mat configuration and delivered
to the jobsite for fast and economical installation.
- 4000 psi minimum concrete.
- Air entrained concrete for durability and freeze-thaw
fracture resistance.
- Type 302 stainless steel cable.
- Cables looped on all mat edges to provide for mat to mat
connection and optional anchoring.
- Geotextile fabric attached to mat at plant.
- 20% to 40% open area to provide water permeability and
vegetational growth.
- Pyramidal block shape allows for articulation ranging from
20° to 60°, depending upon block size.
- Complete engineering analysis, with flume testing, has been
conducted by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Windsor,
Ontario, Canada. Cable Concrete is manufactured to exacting specifications, which exceed
both federal and state D.O.T. requirements.
CABLE CONCRETE FACTS
- Stability: Hydraulic conditions and flow
velocities determine the block size and layout design needed to stabilize the erosive
forces. The Cable Concrete mats, with the interwoven cable and mat to mat clamping, become
one homogeneous control system. Cables are precast through each block, assuring both
lateral and vertical stability.
- Flexibility: The pyramidal shape of the
blocks provides for large angular variability. This flexibility allows the system to adapt
to abrupt changes in grade contours.
- Permeability: The open area of the mats
allows for sufficient transfer of water between the subgrade and the system surface. The
attached geotextile fabric allows for relief of hydrostatic pressure without permitting
migration of subgrade fines.
- Vegetation: Native and exotic grasses,
broadleaf plants and shrubs will grow in the open area of the mat if desired. Its smooth
surface allows for easy access by pedestrians and vehicular traffic, and affords easy
maintenance of vegetation. Plants' root systems actually enhance the stability of the
system over the years. Because the cables are precast into the system, blocks can be
removed for larger plantings without compromising the integrity of the system.
- Reusable: The cables of the mat allow for
use as a temporary erosion control material, for construction traffic or emergency
situations. The mats can then be lifted for more permanent placement elsewhere or put into
storage for the next jobsite.
INSTALLATION
The Cable
Concrete erosion control system offers quick installation by the Contractor or Owner. Mats
are delivered to the jobsite by either flatbed or boomtruck. When possible, the 4 foot by
16 foot mats are delivered for placement by installer directly from truck to prepared
ground, minimizing handling.
The mats are
lifted and positioned with a lift bar supplied by the manufacturer. With the geotextile
fabric already attached, the mats are normally placed in sequence from the downstream end
of the job to the upstream end. This shingling of the fabric eliminates the potential for
undermining of the completed system.
