Effectiveness of Vetiver-Based Bioengineering in Combination with Recycled Plastic Pin (RPP) for Steep Embankment Stabilization

Due to Bangladesh's geographical location, topography, soil, and disasters, erosion is a very common issue here. A cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative method, i.e., Vetiver Grass Technology (VGT) has been applied for erosion control in different infrastructures. In this study, the suitability and efficacy of VGT has been studied by conducting field performance assessment, numerical analysis and finally cost comparison study. For field implementation, VGT was implemented in three sites (two char land and one saline/coastal zone) from Project LoGIC, a collaborative initiative among different government organizations and international funding agencies. The growth was excellent on those sites. For numerical analysis, PLAXIS 2D was used to explore the impact of vetiver and recycled plastic pins (RPP) on slope stabilization. Results indicate that the inclusion of vetiver and RPP alone and combined enhance the slope's factor of safety and decreases crest deformation. A cost comparison among the conventional and bioengineering methods showed that VGT requires the lowest cost among the conventional methods. And when combined with RPP, cost increases for bioengineering methods, but still, it is lower than conventional methods. These findings suggest that employing vetiver only or in combination of RPP could be a feasible substitute for slope stabilization in locations where traditional methods are cost-prohibitive or environmentally detrimental.