Cycle and pedestrian paths: solutions to make them safer and more attractive.
Longer days, milder afternoons, a great desire to spend time outdoors and perhaps get some physical exercise, but also go to work and school or visit a friend… These are all good reasons for using, when available, cycle and pedestrian paths, possibly far from urban traffic.
The advantages of sustainable mobility
We are increasingly talking about environmental sustainability and the physical and psychological benefits of physical exercise:
- Less air and noise pollution caused by traffic.
- Reduced transport costs.
- Greater freedom of movement.
- Enhanced green areas in cities.
- Better quality of life by doing a bit of sport on a daily basis.
TeMa Geo Solutions for safety and urban benefits
‘Unequipped’ roads can be hazardous for those who choose to get around by bicycle: for this and environmental reasons, cycle and pedestrian paths are the ideal solution, as they are increasingly becoming part of local government mobility plans.
TeMa Geo Solutions offers all its experience by combining reinforced earth structures and their feature of being green, with cycle and pedestrian paths.
An embankment can be made or a road widened with its sides sloping at 65°/70° using the T-System (consisting of formworks, X-Grid PET geogrids and K-Mat FG Green erosion control mats as facing), thereby making the path safe and allowing a slope to turn green again. Making a slope green again provides a natural erosion control function: to encourage it, TeMa Geo Solutions recommends installing natural or synthetic mats. To make the structure stable, the T-System for reinforced soils adopted by TeMa involves using X-Grid PET geogrids.
- Published in Erosion mats, GEO, Geogrids, Reinforced earth structures, Reinforced earth structures - Erosion control, Roads
Drainage for diaphragms and berlin walls: a practical and safe solution
Some of the most widely used works in the civil engineering field are diaphragms and berlin walls, which counteract strong thrusts of the soil and prevent landslides and structural subsidence.
Diaphragms are supporting walls consisting of pointed vertical elements (piles) or continuous elements (walls) made of steel or reinforced concrete. They are driven into the ground to a considerable depth, whereas Berlin walls are flexible retaining structures constructed with vertical micro-piles.
Both solutions are used where it’s impossible to construct excavation walls of an adequate gradient due to the presence of other nearby structures and to the morphology of the area , which imposes limited work spaces (that would make manoeuvring large machinery impossible).
Berlin walls made of micro-piles are one of the most popular applications on construction sites for implementing waterproof retaining works. The technique allows work to be carried out on almost all types of terrain, especially when it’s necessary to use on-site systems that are smaller than in the past.
Since works are in contact with the ground, the drainage aspect should not be underestimated. If rainwater and groundwater exert pressure on the vertical wall, they may damage the waterproofing. TeMa Building Solutions therefore has the right product for this application: T-Mix Drain WP, the geocomposite that not only drains but also provides the functions of filtration, separation and stay-in-place formwork.
TeMa has acquired considerable experience with geocomposites. For many years, the company has been providing this system to replace the conventional gravel drainage system. The results are long-lasting and it’s the ideal solution: compared to conventional gravel, it’s less bulky, easily transported and quick to install. This reduces the costs of transport and implementation and on-site construction time while, last but not least, resulting in considerable savings in terms of CO2.
Fields of application
As mentioned above, diaphragms and berlin walls are widely used where space is limited. More specifically, they can be used in the construction industry, for example for underground garages in homes or commercial premises, for basements. They can also be used in river works, such as quays and piers for boats, or in earth dams and wells.
Having the experience of TeMa technicians and tested effective products such as T-Mix Drain WP at your disposal is therefore a guarantee for your construction site.
Literally putting them to the test.
Ensuring that products fulfil the required functions and standards has been our mission since the outset of our company. All materials exposed to sunlight, moisture and temperature changes are exposed to the damaging effects of nature. There’s also erosion due to rain, which can play a major role in the deterioration of many building materials.
It’s therefore important to work with institutes that have weathering test equipment and expertise in testing services for the building materials industry, for residential and commercial construction.
Why it’s important to test solutions
Each company like ours aims to meet the expectations of those who choose it and, of course, to comply with all applicable regulations. Testing the solutions we provide allows us to guarantee performance also under critical conditions, offering our customers cutting-edge products, and to support designers in planning and installers during the installation stage. As for innovation, our customers’ expectations are always very high: indeed, dozens of new products are being tested and waiting to be introduced into the market.
The tag-line of the specialised divisions of TeMa is ‘Solution’ and, to be true to this requirement, a product must meet a series of specifications of on-site competitiveness, service effectiveness and a long life.
The tests involve special equipment for testing durability, compressive and tensile strength, drainage capacity and mechanical protection, ventilation and vapour diffusion performance, thermal and corrosion resistance… as well as many other functions viewable here.
This is all achieved as a result of the close connections between our Technical Department, where market demands are examined and possible solutions studied, and Labs, where tests are carried out to check performance and guarantee performance parameters. By working with accredited independent external labs for testing procedures, we can improve throughout all stages of the production process.
Our certifications
CE marking is featured on all product lines in our catalogue, in compliance with the CPD (Construction Product Directive) 89/106/CEE. The pursuit of excellence has led us to implement a certified quality system, UNI EN 3001:2000, which ensures performance levels throughout production. We also hold various international patents.
Activities at TeMa labs
- Raw material testing: we check the quality of raw materials.
- Support for R&D: our solutions are the result of continuous research into market requirements and constant improvements.
- Supervision and monitoring of production processes: we check that production processes comply with standards and the studies undertaken.
- Quality and performance testing of end products and prototypes: tests to check performance, initially of prototypes followed by end products.
- Spot tests on production batches and conformity checks: on end products and by testing application solutions.
- Quality control: we check that products meet the standards of individual countries and the required performance.
- Drafting and updating of product data sheets: each product has its own data sheet, promptly updated, with technical data indicating its performance.
- Certifications: those required for each country in which we operate and the environmental certifications to be guaranteed for our customers.
Find out more on the dedicated page of our website.
- Published in CORPORATION, Research and development, TeMa Technologies and Materials
Reinforced earth structures and drainage
For the extension works at the Serravalle Retail Park shopping centre in the Piedmont region, we helped the company choose the solutions to implement and assisted with verifications.
The area covering about 2,000 sqm required some intervention work regarding reinforced earth structures and drainage. In particular, we undertook the preliminary work for extension works dating back to 2016.
To the south-west of the building, the soil was secured and then surfaces were replanted with greenery.
Let’s see how this was done in more detail.
Type of intervention
In order to make the slope in front of the complex secure, the intervention work involved constructing reinforced earth structures in several banks, more specifically 3 modules of 6 m in height each.
In addition, to manage the water coming from the hydro-geographic basin situated upstream of the area, specific surface drainage works were carried out.
The solution from TeMa Geo Solutions
For the reinforced earth structure, 3 modules were constructed with anchorage lengths of 7 m and a strength of 110 kN/m provided by X-Grid PET PC 110 geogrids.
As for drainage, instead, a Membrana Nera Geo was used, the 8 mm HDPE studded membrane bonded to a filter nonwoven geotextile with a PE slotted tube at the base.
The drainage system was also installed at the horizontal contact points of each berm to prevent future water seepage into the reinforced earth structure.
Waterproofing when concrete casting
Concrete casting involves creating a new concrete element as a continuation of an already existing one. Most often it’s impossible to create a monolithic block with a single casting: consider, for example, very large structures or the connection between vertical and horizontal walls. With concrete casting you can obtain monolithic structures with their own characteristics, built in stages at subsequent times. So, you proceed with small blocks and join each casting to the previous one, creating a monolith piece by piece.
Structural connection is achieved by using reinforcing irons, taking special care with drilling the existing block and the length of anchorage. While ensuring attachment to the sequence of blocks, reinforcing irons are potential lines for water seepage. We well know that accumulation of moisture in walls may have very severe consequences: structural fragility and very unhealthy stains and moulds.
An effective solution is to insert bentonite kerbs which waterproof any voids that may have formed at the base of walls or in contact with reinforcing irons. The intrinsic property of sodium bentonite is exploited, which is the ability to swell on contact with water, filling the available space and forming an impermeable compound.
Furthermore, this material provides high resistance to hydraulic load, is easily applied and adheres perfectly to the support.
The range of building products from TeMa Building Solutions also includes T-Bentostop, the waterstop made of hydro-expanding bentonite for waterproofing and sealing concrete casting.
Controlling surface erosion with biomats and geomats
Soil erosion is an almost inevitable natural phenomenon that has become a greater concern in recent years due to the worsening climate situation – in Italy, for example, 132 extreme weather events were recorded between January and July 2022, a higher number than the annual average over the last decade – combined with long periods of drought.
Strong winds, heavy rain, hail and runoff tend to remove the surface layer of exposed soils, which often include organic matter and seeds. Climate change facilitates erosion, making it not only inevitable but also hazardous if left uncontrolled.
It’s essential to counter or mitigate the phenomenon: soil provides us with food, biomass and raw materials; human activities take place on it and it’s part of the landscape and our cultural heritage.
Which structures are more subject to surface erosion?
The areas of application most affected by the erosive action of the climate are:
- slopes and the sides of landfills and contaminated sites, and those that have been grassed for appreciable aesthetic improvement;
- reinforced earth structures, more specifically terracing in vineyards and the embankments of canals or rivers;
- ascending/descending ramps from flyovers, tunnel entrances and noise barriers on roads and railways;
- dry, rocky slopes, of all angles, that shape the terrain of Italy.
The effects of surface erosion
The uncontrolled removal of the surface topsoil and the failure of vegetation to take root results in ‘thinning’ of the soil and a risk to the stability of sloping areas.
What can be done to prevent surface erosion?
We should begin by pointing out that a case-by-case assessment is required that considers many variables, such as the nature and uniformity of the soil, the slope gradient, the type of slope (dry or rocky) and the weather conditions in the area where intervention work is to be carried out.
In general, vegetation, whatever type it is, has a natural ability to protect soils from erosion. So the best course of action is to quickly encourage grassing and then apply biodegradable mats made of jute, straw, coconut and cellulose fibre, which can also be pre-seeded.
TeMa Geo Solutions recommends biomats such as Ecovermat, Ecovermat P and PC, and Ecovernet.
Alternatively, or combined with these, synthetic geomats, mainly made of polymer monofilaments, can be used.
Once laid, they are covered with another layer of soil: in this way, the roots of growing vegetation will become entangled with the geomat, creating an almost permanent erosion protection system.
Once again, TeMa Geo Solutions offers a wide range of geomats to choose from.
Uncertain about what to choose? We can help you. CONTACT US!
TeMa even more transparent about sustainability
With the new EPD certification, TeMa Technologies and Materials provides information about the level of sustainability of its products: this includes most of the membranes and geocomposites manufactured on its production lines. For 30 years, TeMa has regarded environmental protection as a duty and obligation towards the community and future generations.
What is EPD and what is analysed to obtain it?
The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a document that provides specific data on the life cycle of products or a service. It measures the impacts that the production and life phases of a product have on the environment by means of a Life Cycle Assessment to determine the consumption of resources such as water, materials and energy.
It is voluntary and verified by the independent third party SGS so that certified declarations can be given to clients.
International acknowledgement
The EPD document is internationally acknowledged, as it complies with ISO standards. This ensures use, credibility and stability over time, making the data collected available for use in any type of environmental management system and providing information for environmental certification protocols for buildings and infrastructures.
Which product lines from TeMa Building Solutions are EPD certified?
The products having obtained EPD certification are:
- the studded membrane line, which includes Membrana Nera, Membrana Nera Geo, T-Kone, Tefond, HDD, TM and MD;
- the monofilament drainage line comprising Q-Drain C and Q-Drain ZW;
- the anti-erosion and reinforcement geomat line, which includes K-Mat and X-Grid AM.
Our certificates can always be consulted by clicking here and entering TeMa in the filters.
- Published in CORPORATION, news, TeMa Technologies and Materials
Concrete industrial paving: How to ensure versatility and durability
A factory layout determines the physical positioning of machines, workstations that develop individual processes and service departments in order to make the work of people, machines and materials more efficient.
Paving is subjected to continuous stress and have to withstand considerable loads. Concrete has its own characteristics to meet these needs and is also very aesthetically versatile, which means that it’s often used by designers in domestic and commercial contexts, both indoors and outdoors. Moreover, it can be quickly customised with textures or other types of printing.
What functions are important in industrial contexts?
Industrial paving inevitably suffers wear and tear from prolonged and intensive use.
It is therefore necessary to guarantee high compressive strength. This is because the surfaces of environments such as warehouses and industrial facilities are constantly subject to heavy loads: storage shelving systems, machinery and moving vehicles such as pallet stackers and forklift trucks. In many cases, weights are concentrated more in some places than in others (e.g. the areas where pallet stackers move or the quintals of goods in the warehouse that weigh down on the same spot for a long time).
This can also cause fissures and cracks on the surface that would hinder access and make it difficult to carry out normal work activities.
Lastly, as already mentioned, concrete is a very versatile material that can be laid over other types of substrate and also customised as required.
How to achieve an optimum and long-lasting result?
Thorough planning from the outset and the choice of suitable materials is the first step to a successful result, but painstaking attention during laying is also important.
The product range from TeMa Building Solutions includes specific products for the reinforcement of this type of paving. T-Fiberglas CLS mesh, made of fiberglass and coated with a special alkaline dressing, is designed to reinforce horizontal concrete applications, whereas T-Zink Net is the anti-cracking mesh made of galvanised steel.
- Published in BUILDING, Concrete paving
Reinforced earth structures as noise barriers
Hearing the noise of traffic outside your window all day long is irritating and distracting and, in the long term, also harmful to your health.
This is why the WHO and a number of laws govern the use of noise remediation systems in cities: the Framework Law no. 447 of 1995 for Italy and the European Directive on Environmental Noise no. 49/2022. If the cause of the noise cannot be addressed, the solution is to install protective barriers. Various kinds can be used, but in this case we focus on reinforced earth structures that require specific measures, which we discuss here.
For example, the Pedemontana Veneta is a new toll motorway in Italy: nearly 100 km long. Almost entirely in operation in the north-east of the Veneto region, the main route of this motorway runs through a deep trench in order to minimise the ‘territorial’ and environmental impact on the surrounding area. This means that long sloping areas of reinforced earth can be found along the sides of the motorway, with rows of trees and hedges for 58.61 km and green areas covering 1,333,410 square metres of hedgerows, groves, grassy slopes and tree-lined meadows.
A focus on noise with much regard for the landscape.
What do reinforced earth noise barriers consist of?
For this type of embankment with its typical trapezoidal shape, earth is used that will be covered by vegetation over time. Geosynthetic reinforcements and geogrids are added to support the earth, which already has good compressive strength. These are inserted horizontally into the ground and develop friction and tension that stabilise the structure, increasing its resistance to stress.
The TeMa Geo Solutions offer includes the X-Grid Pet PVC range of geogrids, with different resistance values, which are ideal for all kinds of contexts.
Another aspect to bear in mind is surface erosion of the soil: to counteract this, synthetic geomats are applied, also with a mulching function to encourage the growth of grass cover, or natural fibre bionets.
Also in this case, TeMa Geo Solutions offers a wide choice ranging from Ecovermat F Grass and Ecovernet FJ to the K-Mat range.
Why use a vegetation barrier as a protective noise barrier?
A vegetation barrier has an unquestionable ability to limit the spread of sound waves: some of them are absorbed, some reflected and some deflected. As a result, the amount of sound waves reaching the receiver is greatly reduced and noise can be dampened by several decibels.
The advantages of a reinforced earth sound-deadening barriera
Creating reinforced earth structures brings considerable advantages:
- it costs less because you can often use earth available on-site
- no special maintenance is required other than regular trimming.
- it helps the environment and integrates with it: the use of vegetation also reduces vehicle emissions by absorbing CO 2 and purifying the air.
TH2 Stop: certified waterproofing
As mentioned many times before, the problem of moisture and water vapour on walls and floors, both indoors and outdoors, is not to be underestimated. TH2 Stop from TeMa Interior Solutions, consisting of three layers, is the waterproofing membrane that fulfils its waterproofing function by blocking any damage caused by moisture before it forms.
Once the membrane has been applied, any surface can be laid over it: tiles, stone, cement resin, marble or plaster. It’s the ideal solution for insulating the bathroom from moisture and water vapour, keeping the surfaces healthy for a long time: as long as the life of the home. In renovations and in new buildings, installers prefer TH2 Stop for its safety and user-friendliness.
TH2 Stop is guaranteed to provide top performance and has been certified in Europe and beyond. US certification was obtained by passing the tests required by various standards:
- The ANSI A118.10 (American National Standard Specifications) regulation sets out the standard requirements for load-bearing, bonded, waterproof membranes for laying ceramic and natural stone tiles.
- The ASTM E96 standard for assessing membrane water vapour transmission, in accordance with the Annex.
- The ASTM C627 standard for passing the Robinson Wheel Test, with the highest Heavy Commercial rating.
At the European level, TH2 Stop has also obtained CE certification through ETA (European Technical Assessment) in compliance with ETAG 022 Class A and C (waterproofing bonded with ceramic tiles). The directive concerns watertight covering kits for floors and/or walls of indoor wet rooms.
TH2 Stop and its accessories can be used to seal joint areas between panels or adjacent sheets and all critical points, thereby creating a fully waterproof system.
For innovative products or products not yet covered by a standard, an alternative to harmonised EN standards is the issuing of a European Technical Assessment (ETA). This document consists of the approval of the suitability for use of a certain product, consistent with ETAG guidelines. ETAG guidelines are prepared under an EC mandate by a special European organisation EOTA (European Organisation for Technical Assessment) comprising national administrations and institutes responsible for assessing the technical suitability of innovative products.
TH2 Stop also passed the tests required by the European AbP (Allgemeines Bauaufsichtliches Prufzeugnis) standard, the most stringent in the industry. This building inspection certificate issued by accredited German building authorities in the sector allows the product to be distributed in the German market.
