Stabilized drainage layer and erosion prevention systems

Abstract

A system includes a geotextile material disposed over a layer of soil, a layer of aggregate disposed over the geotextile material, and a binder applied onto or over the layer of aggregate. At least some of the aggregate material is mixed with or bound together with the binder, in a top portion of the aggregate layer extending to a selected depth. The bound aggregate and binder can be substantially permeable to water flow, and configured to reduce erosion, migration or movement of the aggregate material and soil. A layer of revetment blocks can be installed over the aggregate, in order to direct water flow.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a layer of geotextile material disposed over a layer of soil;   a layer of aggregate material disposed over the layer of geotextile material; and   a binder applied to a top portion of the layer of aggregate material;   wherein at least some of the aggregate material in the top portion is bound together with the binder, after the layer of aggregate material is disposed over the layer of geotextile material.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion of the aggregate material defines a layer of aggregate and binder extending to a selected depth in the layer of aggregate material, wherein the layer of aggregate and binder is substantially permeable to water flow. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the binder is adapted to stabilize the aggregate to reduce erosion, migration or movement of the aggregate material or soil when subject to the water flow. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a region of the aggregate material between the layer of aggregate and binder and the geotextile material, wherein the aggregate is not substantially mixed with the binder in said region. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is sprayed, poured or flooded onto or over the layer of aggregate material, wherein the binder penetrates or mixes with the aggregate material to a selected depth in the layer of aggregate material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the layer of aggregate material has a depth of at least two inches (or about five centimeters), or at least four to six inches (or about ten to fifteen centimeters), measured from a top surface thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the selected depth to which the binder penetrates or mixes with the aggregate material extends at least two inches (or about five centimeters) into the layer of aggregate material, measured from the top surface thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises a polymer or polymer resin material, a urethane, polyurethane or per-polymer material, an organic polymer or prepolymer material, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of revetment blocks disposed over the layer of aggregate material, wherein the revetment blocks are configured to reduce erosion, migration or movement of the aggregate material or soil when subject to water flow. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the revetment blocks have a common depth defined between a top surface and a bottom surface along each side thereof, or a domed structure configured to direct water flow, or both. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least some of the revetment blocks have a tapered top surface that is angled with respect to a bottom surface thereof, wherein the tapered top surface is configured to direct water flow onto one or more adjacent revetment blocks in the layer of revetment blocks. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 disposing a layer of geotextile material over a layer of soil;   disposing a layer of aggregate material over a top portion of the layer of geotextile material;   applying a binder to a top portion of the layer of aggregate material, wherein at least some of the aggregate material in the top portion is bound together with the binder, after the layer of aggregate material is disposed over the layer of geotextile material.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein applying the binder comprises spraying, pouring or flooding the binder onto or over the top portion of the layer of aggregate material, and wherein the binder penetrates the aggregate material to a selected depth, as measured from a top surface thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the binder is adapted to stabilize the aggregate material to the selected depth, and wherein the aggregate material is substantially permeable to water flow from the top surface through the selected depth. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aggregate material is stabilized by the binder to reduce erosion, migration or movement of the aggregate material or the soil, when subject to the water flow. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the binder does not substantially penetrate the aggregate material in a region defined between the selected depth and the geotextile material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising disposing a layer of revetment blocks over the layer of aggregate material, wherein the revetment blocks are configured to reduce erosion, migration or movement of the aggregate material or soil when subject to water flow. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the revetment blocks have a common depth defined between a top surface and a bottom surface along each side thereof, a domed structure configured to direct water flow along a top surface thereof, or a tapered top surface that is angled with respect to a bottom surface thereof; and wherein the revetment blocks are configured to direct water flow onto adjacent revetment blocks in the layer of revetment blocks. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the layer of aggregate material is disposed over the layer of geotextile material to a depth of at least two inches (or about five centimeters), or to a depth of at least four to six inches (or about ten to fifteen centimeters). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the binder is applied to penetrate the aggregate to a depth of at least one quarter the depth of the layer of aggregate material, or to a depth of at least one half the depth of the layer of aggregate material.