Environmental Enhancement of Infrastructure
Matarandiba Island Matarandiba Island, Bahia, Brazil
Using a nature-based solution for ensuring safe working conditions. The small island of Matarandiba lies just off the coast of Aratu, Brazil. Here in 2010, Dow cut back an existing hillside to provide access for operations personnel, but unfortunately significant rains and natural erosion resulted in obstructions and unstable and unsafe working conditions for construction contractors at the site. So in 2017, Dow considered three project plans to stabilize the hillside. The first option included blasting and heavy earthmoving equipment to completely remove the slope. The second, and most conventional option, was to drill and install mechanical anchors in the aggregate substrate to serve as tie backs for a steel-reinforced, sloped concrete overlay. The third, and least invasive option, involved constructing a gabion wall at the toe of the slope in conjunction with reestablishing a native vegetative cover to stabilize the upper portion of the slope. Of the three, Dow selected the third option because it minimized environmental impact and cost while maximizing restorative features.
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