Source: H. P. Rauch

May 20, 2010
Plants for civil engineering structures: Analyses of selected criteria for sustainable soil protection in Southern Brazil

The structure of the agricultural system of the province of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) is based on family-run farms. Many farmers have problems with eroded river banks which also cause erosion problems of agricultural land. Consequently the farmers are interested in sustainable stabilised river banks to protect their farmland and provide a stable economical foundation. Erosion control of river banks and agricultural land enters public awareness when natural hazards damage infrastructure facilities.
In Brazil the technique of soil bioengineering using living plant material for civil engineering structures could be a helpful implement for civil engineers to take into account not only technical but also ecological, sustainable and socio-economical aspects. However for successful applications special local conditions must be considered. Success is directly linked to the knowledge of technical and biological properties of the plants which are used locally as a construction material for civil engineering structures.
The Federal University of Santa Maria (Brazil) and the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (Austria) have been cooperating in the field of soil bioengineering since 2003.

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