A slice of greenery in urban development is more than just respite for the eyes observing concrete buildings all around. The concept of urban tree landscaping appears to be a fundamental process of creating healthy, habitable and sustainable cities.
The strategic placement of trees can even be one of the major contributors for reducing greenhouse gases. But for efficient growth and survival of trees in the concrete jungle, you need the right pavement system.
Enter the TerraVault system by Rainsmart Solutions – an innovative paving solution to give city trees the best possible start. This structural soil cell product also adds value to road infrastructure making them strong and stable.
Continue with this blog, to find out the benefits it offers for urban landscaping.
Traditionally, plantation of urban trees was done by mixing soil with rocks. This process helped in offering needed support while allowing limited root growth.
However, TerraVault takes this a step further by completely replacing the rock component. Typically, rocks take up 80% of the volume, but with engineered modular units things are smoother.
These units form a skeletal framework that supports pavement loads. What’s more benefitting is that it creates vast spaces of un-compacted soil where free growth of roots can occur.
It gives 95% internal void space that offers tree roots plenty of room to gain access to soil, water, and nutrients. Trees can grow in the best possible conditions with the use of these underground soil cells.
City sidewalks, plazas, and roads experience heavy foot and vehicle traffic on a daily basis. The TerraVault is engineered to handle it all.
It comes with an unconfined load-bearing capacity of up to 65 t/sqm that ensures stability without restricting tree growth. Unlike other systems that make use of spacers for strength, each module of TerraVault is self-supported.
This means a uniform load distribution can be achieved across the entire installation area.
No two urban landscapes are the same, which is why flexibility matters. TerraVault has a modular design that offers landscape architects and city planners the freedom to create custom layouts.
The system can be fitted in both large green spaces and tight urban spots. Plus, users can adjust the number of internal support plates. Meeting specific load requirements while keeping costs manageable is not a problem with this feature.
Traditional planting methods result in restricted root expansion due to compacted soil. But TerraVault delivers up to 95% open void space that gives ample space for root movement.
In a way, this system works as a tree root protection solution. Allowing more space leads to healthier, stronger and longer-lasting urban trees.
Additionally, the system plays a part in water management by allowing rainfall to penetrate the soil more effectively. This reduces runoff and ensures trees receive the hydration they need.
Urban development projects often run on tight schedules and budgets. To keep up with those demands, TerraVault makes things easier with its lightweight, easy-to-install modules.
Assembly of these units don’t require skilled labor or heavy machinery. Therefore, installation time and costs get cut down significantly when you use these structural soil cells.
They come in kit form that makes transportation, handling and storage of the modules easy. All of which, slashes the logistical expenses.
In today’s age, sustainability is a priority in modern city planning. TerraVault serves the purpose perfectly to ensure sustainable urban landscaping.
Made from recycled polypropylene, these modules are Green Label Certified. You get to approach urban tree planting in an eco-friendly way.
The system uses repurposed recycled materials that actively supports a circular economy while reducing waste.
Even cityscapes are impacted by stormwater runoff that leads to flooding and water pollution. Stormwater management for trees is important as it helps the water keep moving and protects them from stagnant water.
TerraVault system works with Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) methodologies that comes in handy to effectively capture and utilize rainfall. Trees not just get proper hydration from it but reduces overwhelming stress on drainage systems due to excess runoff.
Urban tree pits are in constant exposure to lateral forces from traffic and pedestrians. This impacts the structural stability especially in high-traffic areas.
The TerraVault system possesses a lateral load-bearing capacity of over 7.5 t/sqm. This helps tree pits maintain stability even at the busiest locations.
Furthermore, the system’s interlocking mechanism adds more strength by forming a unified structure. The tree pits are able to withstand both vertical and lateral stresses.
The world is heading towards rapid urbanisation and with that integration of nature into cityscapes is more important than ever. TerraVault Structural Soil Cell system fits in perfectly between the gap of urban infrastructure and environmental sustainability.
Urban tree growth gets a major upgrade with the investment in this innovative solution. If you’re looking for a trusted distributor for this product in the Middle East and GCC regions then contact Dutco Tennant LLC.