Production and Properties of Soil Erosion Control Mats Made from Sugarcane Bagasse

The market for mats and blankets made from natural fibers is a rapidly growing segment of the erosion control industry. In south Louisiana, bagasse is a local, readily available material with properties that make it suitable for erosion control products. In the framework of work towards diversifying the sugarcane industry, a prototype of a simple continuous device to produce erosion control mats was built and tested. Rectangular mats of 1.2 m x 2.4 m (4 x 8 ft) size were produced from bagasse that had been modified by impregnation with dilute liquor of soda ash and by partial mechanical refining. The effects of the alkali treatment on the bagasse fibers were evaluated by thermo-gravimetrical analysis. The physical properties of bagasse mat samples were tested with American Society for Testing and Materials and Erosion Control Technology Council methods and compared with those reported by manufacturers of leading commercial products. The absence of netting in the bagasse products results in a lower tensile strength but should prove advantageous from the environmental impact standpoint. The availability of sufficient quantities of sugarcane bagasse and the proximity to markets should be significant factors for the competitiveness of the bagasse products in the local market.