Flex MSE: New Best Practices for Geomodular Construction

Dylan Armour

This talk provides insight into the current best practices for construction of geomodular structures, for the purposes of erosion control, slope stability, retaining walls, and overall environmental health. Bioengineering principles and applications have been refined continuously in the last 100 years in the areas of erosion control and slope stability. Over the last 50 years, geosynthetic materials have made steady advances in retention and erosion control, creating cost effective engineered vegetated solutions that offer better immediate and long term performance. Hybrid geomodular systems such as Flex MSE combine traditional segmental systems and flexible facings, thereby creating a class of construction that is more resilient to natural processes and situations, and that lasts longer than traditional hard armour facing systems. Topics of discussion include non woven geosynthetics and MSE design and construction, and the design and uses of vegetation with geosynthetics.

• As a result of taking this course, the learner will be able to discern if the geomodular system meets baseline structural criteria for the specified erosion control or retention problem.
• As a result of this taking this course, the learner will be able to provide key design details to improve the performance of segmental and vegetated MSE wall systems in a variety of environments.
• As a result of this taking this course, the learner will be able to assess what methods and types of vegetation best support different design scenarios, and the additional benefits or management criteria that these will add to the project.

Presented by Dylan Armour – General Manager, Trexiana Wholesale and Distribution

Dylan Armour is the General Manager and a founding team member of Trexiana Wholesale and Distribution. Based in Vancouver, BC, he oversees international manufacturing, business development, and technical support for their signature vegetated retaining wall system, Flex MSE. The best practices of retaining wall construction, slope stabilization, revegetation techniques, and erosion control are his daily professional diet. Working on national infrastructure schemes, riverine and lake shore restoration, and even smaller private projects around the world gives him a rich amount of experience to draw on in his evidence and solutions-based approach to projects.