Steve Barnett Project Overview
Water from a drainage tile and a culvert created a deep scour hole on the face of a 3 on 1 slope in the median of M-53 between the two bridges over the Clinton River in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The nearby maintenance garage believed that water leaking from the drainage tile near the top of the slope started the erosion. The erosion proceeded downward toward the culvert, which was buried deeper down the slope.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (“MDOT”) decided to use Combat Concrete CC8 to repair the site by creating a small down chute. This spillway would channel water to the bottom of the slope where a pile of riprap would slow the water flow and reduce further erosion.
Solution
Combat Concrete GCCM was chosen for this site. MDOT used this project as a
demonstration of the product and to learn how to install and manipulate the product.
On the first day of the installation, site preparation consisted of connecting the
drainage tile to the culvert below with a new section of pipe. The scour hole was then filled and the slope was graded using an excavator. Stones and boulders that were found on the site during re-grading were separated for use later as rip rap at the bottom of the new spillway to be constructed on day two.
Work began on day two by attaching an outlet structure to the end of the culvert. Combat Concrete GCCM was attached to the outlet structure with screws, then the product was rolled down the slope and laid into the spillway that was graded earlier. The outside edges and the downslope end of the Combat Concrete material were buried and the downslope end was covered with rip rap. Installation was completed within two hours, and hydration began, using a water truck. The full project was completed within three hours.
