Case Study: Slope Protection and Sustainable Infrastructure Development Using Ocean Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat 10 MM for a Coal Mining Project in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal

At a coal mining infrastructure project in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, Ocean Non Wovens supplied 2,000 SQM of Ocean Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat (GCCM) 10 MM for slope protection, erosion control and drainage works. This case study covers why a GCCM suited the site, what the material is, and what it takes to install it well.

Project overview

• Project Type: Coal Mining Infrastructure Project
• Location: Purba Medinipur, West Bengal
• Product Supplied: Ocean Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat 10 MM
• Quantity: 2,000 SQM
• Application: Slope protection, erosion control, drainage infrastructure, and surface stabilization

Mining operations depend on supporting works: drainage channels, access roads, embankments, sediment control channels and containment ponds. When the slopes and channels in that network erode, sediment moves downstream, roads and drains need repair, and operations are disrupted. The project needed a lining that would resist erosion, flowing water and weathering over the long term without a complicated build.

What a GCCM is

A Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat is a dry concrete mix held inside a geosynthetic matrix, usually with a waterproof backing on the underside. It is delivered in rolls, laid dry, and then hydrated with water. Once hydrated, it sets into a thin, reinforced concrete layer. The material is often called “concrete on a roll” because it does the job of a concrete lining without formwork, batching plants or transit mixers. ASTM D8364 is the standard specification for GCCM materials.

Typical GCCM applications include:

• Channel lining
• Slope protection
• Drainage systems
• Coastal defense structures
• Reservoir protection
• Mining infrastructure
• Environmental containment systems
• Culvert rehabilitation

Why GCCM was selected

Concrete lining, stone pitching and riprap are the traditional answers to erosion control on slopes and channels. A cast concrete lining would have needed extensive site preparation, concrete transport, formwork, longer curing and more labour. The Ocean GCCM 10 MM avoided most of that:

• Speed: rolls are unrolled, fixed and wetted, so large areas are covered much faster than with cast concrete, which matters on a working industrial site.
• Erosion resistance: the set cementitious layer protects the surface from rainfall, runoff and flowing water.
• Fewer site activities: no formwork, batching or placing crews.
• Fit to uneven ground: before hydration the mat is flexible and follows irregular slopes and channel profiles.
• Durability: once cured it resists weathering, UV exposure and mechanical wear, and it suppresses weed growth through the lining.

Site conditions in Purba Medinipur

Purba Medinipur is a coastal district at the head of the Bay of Bengal. The project was not directly on the coastline, but it shares the district’s climate:

• Heavy monsoon rainfall: intense rain quickly erodes exposed slopes and unlined drains.
• Wetting and drying: repeated cycles weaken unprotected soil surfaces over time.
• Possible saline exposure: near the coast, salinity can speed up deterioration of conventional materials.
• Concentrated runoff: mining works channel water into drains and onto slopes, so the lining has to resist sustained hydraulic forces.

Installation points that decide performance

A GCCM is quick to lay, but its service life depends on how it is installed:

• Surface preparation: remove loose material, debris and large irregularities so the mat sits in full contact with the ground.
• Panel layout: overlap adjacent rolls in the direction of flow (upstream over downstream) and fix the joints so water cannot get under the edges.
• Anchoring: on slopes, bury the top edge in an anchor trench and pin the mat with ground anchors. Poor anchoring is a common cause of early failure.
• Hydration: wet the mat thoroughly to the manufacturer’s instructions. Too little water leaves dry, weak patches; heavy jets can wash out the dry mix before it sets.
• Weather: plan laying and hydration around rainfall, since rain on unfixed panels can trigger setting before the panels are in final position.

Quality control on a GCCM job typically covers material verification on delivery, surface inspection, overlap and anchor checks, hydration monitoring and a visual inspection after curing. A cured GCCM needs little maintenance, but it is not maintenance-free: joints and anchor trenches should be inspected after major storms.

Other uses of the same material

The properties that suited this mining site apply elsewhere: erosion-resistant channels and inlets in aquaculture farms, shoreline and coastal drain protection, irrigation channels, reservoir slopes, stormwater facilities and surface protection on environmental remediation sites. Compared with cast concrete, a GCCM usually needs less material transport, fewer machines on site and a shorter build.

About Ocean Non Wovens

Ocean Non Wovens manufactures and supplies geosynthetics for infrastructure projects across India, including geomembranes, geotextiles, geogrids, geobags and Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats. For channel lining, slope protection or drainage works on mining, water or environmental projects, contact the team or browse more case studies and other geosynthetics articles.