The side slopes of roadways and hill slopes in the South-Eastern mountainous part of Bangladesh are vulnerable to raincut erosion. The road slopes are protected against rain induced erosion by providing concrete covers near the bridge approaches and by placing thick clay cladding elsewhere. Concrete covers are expensive and clay material is becoming more and more scarce these days. A study has been undertaken in this high intensity rainfall area to show the technical adequacy and cost effectiveness of protection of road side slopes with geojute and vegetation. The slopes have been monitored for the last two monsoons and the results are highly encouraging.

Similar approach has been used for the protection rain induced sliding of a hill slope in the same area which is otherwise stable. The bulk of soil loss before this geojute-bioengineered solution was so high, that often the major road network of the area used to be disrupted. Since implementation of the geojute and vegetative cover, no such hazard has been reported by the maintenance department for the last two monsoons.

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About the Authors

Prof. Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khan is associated with Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) and Major Md Masudur Rahman is with Military Institute of Science & Technology (MIST).