Privacy | Legal

Table of Contents Back | Next | Home

Introduction

Trails in soft, water–saturated soils present special challenges to trail managers. Muddy trails are anathema to livestock and hikers, which tend to skirt the edges of mud holes. This increases the area of damage to sensitive soils. Incorrectly constructed trails in wet areas lead to soil compaction, sedimentation, multiple trails, and unhappy trail users. Traditional trail construction methods for wet areas include turnpike or puncheon. These have worked well where rock or wood materials are readily available. However, geosynthetics can increase the effectiveness of construction methods and offer additional alternatives.

Geosynthetics are synthetic materials (usually made from hydrocarbons) that are used with soil or rock in many types of construction. Their use has grown significantly in road construction over the past 20 years, and in trail construction for the past 10 years.

Guidelines on how to use geosynthetics in trail construction have not been readily available to trail managers. The information presented here applies some roads technology to trail design and construction in five categories:

• General information on geosynthetic products.
• Basic geosynthetic design and utilization concepts.
• Specific design diagrams for trail construction over wet saturated soils.
• A list of product manufacturers, price ranges, and physical properties.
• Identification of unsuitable tread fill materials.

E-mail: wo_mtdc_webmaster@fs.fed.us

Back | Next Table of Contents

Missoula Technology & Development Center

---

This page last modified September 11, 2002
Visitor since July 19, 2002