Developed by Boddingtons Inc. , part of Fiberweb Inc., BodPave 85 provides a new option for permeable grass and gravel paving. Its modern design maximizes vegetative growth and support on trafficked surfaces by increasing root zone depth, introducing water retention into the paving profile, integrating ground spikes for support against lateral shear, and creating stronger nested connections. This new paving system addresses the demand for a grass reinforcement product that maximizes support without compromising plant viability in regularly trafficked parking lots, pedestrian pathways, golf cart paths and more.
In this highlighted project, landscape architecture firm Krizan Associates proposed a reinforced grass access drive for the site. This drive would reflect the building and landscape architecture, and provide needed functionality under the spatial limitations. The proposed lane would be regularly trafficked by maintenance vehicles and provide fire truck access to the site in case of an emergency.
John Krizan, principal of the design firm, was particularly focused on the long-term viability of the ground cover. “I have worked with other grass reinforcement products in the past, and have been disappointed with the vegetative cover after a year or two. I was looking for an improved product that would reinforce the sloped access drive and provide enough root-zone growing media to allow for proper maintenance of the grass over-time when planted into the product,” he said.
Krizan Associates selected the BodPave 85 grass paving system for the project. The 2-in.-deep, recycled HDPE paver has 16 integrated 1.35-in. ground spikes along the bottom of each unit. The ground spikes stabilize the grass paving system and prevent lateral drift under consistent traffic, abrupt braking/acceleration, or on sloped surfaces recommended up to 12%. In addition, the cell depth and ground spike create a deeper 4-in. root zone above the compacted base, allowing for an increased fibrous root structure to integrate across the perforated cell walls and support seed, sod or plugged vegetation long-term. The deeper soil profile also increases the volume of storm water runoff storage, allowing it to retain a 0.75- to 1-in. rain event over its given area, in addition to any subsurface storage engineered below.
The ability for BodPave 85 to store a substantial amount of storm water in the top 4 in. is a significant advantage in addressing site runoff in a cost-effective manner. When water infiltrates into the profile, the integrated water retention cells preserve moisture for the vegetation, reducing irrigation demands and minimizing shock during dry periods. By maximizing growth potential of vegetated surfaces, this system reduces ambient air temperature in parking areas, increasing comfort and decreasing heat island effects of development.
Each paver is designed to nest into its adjacent partner, and the connections can be offset in increments of 3 in., greatly reducing waste on projects. The product is packaged in four pre-joined pavers equaling 10.75 sq ft to increase speed of installation. The system has a high empty cell pressure rating, which can easily accommodate H20-25 vehicle loads with proper sub-base preparation.
These attributes provided the necessary performance to create a multifunctional green space that blends with the architect’s design and has performed well, according to Krizan. With its modern design, this sustainable grass paving system increases the viability of reinforced grass surfaces in today’s green design industry.