Fixing steep banks...

[Nudibranch]

I have a lovely hardstanding area outside the field shelter and stables, but there's one issue which is that after the hardstanding, there's a pretty deep swamp. It's access to the 3 fields and unfortunately due to the topography there's no alternative layout. The land slopes very steeply into the 2 top fields and with all this rain the horses are just driving the mud down the bank each time they come down. I can't close them off all winter as the bottom field is only 2 acres. Summer is fine as it sets nicely into firm pathways but winter sees a lot of erosion.

I don't want it to get much worse as it'll start properly collapsing and undermining the fencing and gateways eventually. When the weather dries up a bit I can do a limited amount of scooping with the tractor bucket but that's not a permanent solution.

Has anyone successfully piled hardcore on a slope and found it stayed put? The only other alternative I can think of is to have steps put in but I've no idea how! I don't think even mud control or jelka mats would stay in place on a steep slope and they'd probably be very slippy in the wet, although I'm happy to be corrected.

Any suggestions very welcome...

 

[Goldenstar]

We built up a slope with rubble and topped it with planeing it was too steep to easily walk down
After we had spread the planeings we bashed them in with the JCB bucket
Over time grass has grown over it it’s worked really really well

 

[Goldenstar]

I will get a photo

 

[Nudibranch]

That sounds promising GS

 

[Steerpike]

Following as I have a similar problem

 

[SantaVera]

following

 

[Goldenstar]

I will walk along with the dogs later

 

[GinaGeo]

I can’t quite visual your problem.

But we are on a hill, and over the years we have used railway sleepers to hold back earth. Which act as steps.

We also have hardcore paths on hills - as long as there is suitable drainage they stay put.

I also now avoid using any banks or steep areas in winter, and keep them grassed. Which in turn holds everything together.

Keeping sloppy mud in place, is really very tricky.

 

[PeterNatt]

This is what we did:
Dug out the soil to a minimum depth of 225mm
Laid a Geotextile membrane
Laid type one crushed concrete and compacted
Laid crushed concrete fines and compacted

 

[SantaVera]

a freind uses mud mats but its only on a short steep distance

 

[Nudibranch]

PeterNatt did you do that on a steep bank though? That is fairly standard for a hardstanding area and is what I have already. But it's not suitable for slopes. The membrane will slide as the horses walk down. And 225 mm is really not very deep. I'm thinking GS's is more likely to work.
The length of the pathways needed is only a few metres but the soil needs support.
GinaGeo - how did you secure the sleepers?

 

[Goldenstar]

I am going to have to post these one at a time it’s not letting me post more than one at a time
This is from the bottom of the quarry looking up
It was very steep and although you could not walk up it you could not drive
Firstly we used a JCB to flatten off the top and we pushed the material down the slope
We then lengthened it using rubble from a builder working on the nearby Georgian hall it was sandstone so blended in well
The JCB then bashed it all down until the slope was formed we topped it with road planeings bashed down when autumn came I sprinkled paddock seed on it we mow it three times a year it’s become very stable
It gets walked on and ridden on a defender and trailer and a tractor go up and down it
This summer we had a JCB going up and down while we graded some some slopes it did no damage

 

[PeterNatt]

Nudibranch! We have resurfaced long length of Bridleways/Bridleways which have deep slopes on them. The depth we dig do vary so effect the thickness's of the crushed concrete but we have not had any problems with the membrane moving at all.

 

[Goldenstar]

This try’s to show how steep it is I am above the ramp along side it on the edge of the quarry .
The Green at the far side of the picture is the ramp and you can see the side in the foreground the Green things on side are pieces of sandstone rubble covered in moss

 

[Goldenstar]

On sides and supporting them this was a debate when we did this
We decided not to and it’s been ok we had enough width to slope the sides
Else where we used that box profile shaped metal they use on building sites for the edges of foundations with wood on the outside for appearance held up by posts to support a narrow track on the edge of the quarry this is for people only.

 

[Goldenstar]

Here is the slope leading to the very steep bit round a right hand turn it was scrapped to level it and the material was pushed down the slope to help form the flatten the angle and make the slope longer
Here you see despite the leaves the grass covering that holds the road planeings still.

 

[spotty_pony]

deleted as replied to the wrong thread ?

 

[GinaGeo]

I would need to ask Dad for an exact answer.

I believe the bank was dug back until it had a flat face. Then some long, chunky fence posts were knocked in a railway sleepers width in front of the bank, with the sleepers then slotted in behind. Then we back filled where necessary. And cut off the fence post tops to the right height.

In some places we just have a single height sleeper, which is half buried and then stands just proud which keeps the worst back ? I don’t use these sections when it is very wet.

 

[Nudibranch]

Thanks all, I'm thinking something like what you've done GS and then two short sections with posts and backfilled for stability.