Biotechnical and Soil Bioengineering Slope Stabilization: A Practical Guide for Erosion Control [Hardcover]

Donald H. Gray (Author), Robbin B. Sotir (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471049786 | ISBN-13: 978-0471049784 | Publication Date: August 23, 1996 | Edition: 1

The first comprehensive, practical guide to the selection, construction, and installation of soil bioengineering and biotechnical slope protection

Here is the ultimate guide to physically attractive, environmentally compatible, and cost-effective methods of protecting slopes from erosion and mass wasting. Lavishly illustrated with more than 150 photographs and supplemented with scores of charts and tables, this book covers the entire subject from general principles and background on the nature of soil erosion and mass movement to detailed information on root strengths, treatment selection, unit costs, critical tractive stresses, methods for harvesting and handling live cuttings, and more.

Four illustrated case studies, each addressing a different set of problems and solutions, demonstrate both the application of particular technologies and the site investigation, planning, scheduling, and organization required to complete these projects successfully. This unique reference handbook
* Reviews the horticultural and engineering underpinnings for biotechnical and soil engineering treatments
* Documents and explains the role of woody plants in stabilizing slopes against both surficial erosion and mass movement
* Provides details on a broad range of soil bioengineering methods, including live staking, live fascines, brushlayering, live crib walls, branchpacking, and live slope gratings
* Describes various biotechnical methods and materials, including the incorporation of vegetation in erosion control blankets, flexible mats, cellular revetments (geocells), rock armor (rip rap), and gabion and open-front crib walls
* Summarizes the findings of the National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop to assess the state of the art and determine research needs


For practicing professionals, researchers, and students in geotechnical engineering, geology, soil science, forestry and forest engineering, landscape architecture, environmental horticulture, and restoration ecology, this book offers thorough, up-to-date coverage that is not available from any other single source.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The authors distill over a decade of experience into a useful reference handbook. They discuss the general principles and attributes of biotechnical/soil bioengineering stabilization and describe specific soil bioengineering measures which can be used on slopes such as live staking, brushlayering, branchpacking, and slope gratings. Presents recent developments with biotechnical groundcovers which include the use of nets, mats, and other types of reinforcement to improve the performance of grass cover on steep slopes or temporary waterways. Lavishly illustrated with more than 150 photographs and supplemented with score of charts and tables, plus four, well-documented case studies.

From the Back Cover

The first comprehensive, practical guide to the selection, construction, and installation of soil bioengineering and biotechnical slope protection

Here is the ultimate guide to physically attractive, environmentally compatible, and cost-effective methods of protecting slopes from erosion and mass wasting. Lavishly illustrated with more than 150 photographs and supplemented with scores of charts and tables, this book covers the entire subject from general principles and background on the nature of soil erosion and mass movement to detailed information on root strengths, treatment selection, unit costs, critical tractive stresses, methods for harvesting and handling live cuttings, and more.

Four illustrated case studies, each addressing a different set of problems and solutions, demonstrate both the application of particular technologies and the site investigation, planning, scheduling, and organization required to complete these projects successfully. This unique reference handbook

• Reviews the horticultural and engineering underpinnings for biotechnical and soil engineering treatments
• Documents and explains the role of woody plants in stabilizing slopes against both surficial erosion and mass movement
• Provides details on a broad range of soil bioengineering methods, including live staking, live fascines, brushlayering, live crib walls, branchpacking, and live slope gratings
• Describes various biotechnical methods and materials, including the incorporation of vegetation in erosion control blankets, flexible mats, cellular revetments (geocells), rock armor (rip rap), and gabion and open-front crib walls
• Summarizes the findings of the National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop to assess the state of the art and determine research needs

For practicing professionals, researchers, and students in geotechnical engineering, geology, soil science, forestry and forest engineering, landscape architecture, environmental horticulture, and restoration ecology, this book offers thorough, up-to-date coverage that is not available from any other single source.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Interscience; 1 edition (August 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471049786
• ISBN-13: 978-0471049784
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,158,401 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tropical Sustainability Consultant, January 3, 2009

By 

David S. Price (Papua, Indonesia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biotechnical and Soil Bioengineering Slope Stabilization: A Practical Guide for Erosion Control (Hardcover)

Appears to cover the subject in detail, and was an excellent introduction to a neophyte such as myself. Good, clear and concise explanations and definitions that gave me complete access to the subject matter.
Some gripes, though:
My organization's library bought it for around $50, perhaps a couple of years ago, I believe. When I went to order my own copy (how's that for an endorsement!) I found it was now $140. For $140 I expect a superior book, and this is very good, but not superior - though no poor reflection on the authors.
The printing is extremely poor (is this from the budget department of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Wiley-Interscience)? I think not - from the price. Yet the fonts, the layout, and even the antique cover design reminds one of something typeset and printed in the early 1950s, and the monochrome photographs are reproduced with atrocious quality--some are useless because they are so poor.
The text has many careless mistakes, mainly spelling mistakes, which really bug a detail-oriented person like myself. Did Wiley & Sons not appoint an editor for the book?
Finally, it deals mainly with temperate zones and I would have liked to have seen at least some information on tropical land stabilization, since my work is tropical and the needs here are extreme. Perhaps the principles are the same, and the temperate bias just represents the authors' experience.
In summary, Drs. Gray and Solir have produced a text to be proud of, but Wiley-Interscience have made a vastly inferior product out of it. That must be rather bitter-sweet for the authors.
PS: Does anyone know where I can get a copy for a reasonable price (under $50)?