Material and labor costs to install a M-BFM project are about 15 percent to 25 percent lower than for a biodegradable erosion control blanket. The matrix produced by the interlocking fibers is nearly 50 percent thicker than a conventional BFM without any added weight per square foot of coverage area.

The first hydraulically applied bonded fiber matrix product was introduced in the mid-1990s as an alternative to biodegradable rolled erosion control blankets.  Since then, more and more landscape contractors are discovering the many benefits of using this class of product to control soil and wind erosion on slopes.  For good reason.  A BFM -- a hydraulically applied blanket of wood fibers and bonding agents -- can be applied faster and easier than conventional rolled erosion control blankets.  Also, a BFM can be applied to slopes too steep for crews to work on safely or too difficult to reach on foot.  As a result, landscape contractors are applying BFMs to control soil erosion on projects ranging from highway embankments, landfills and golf courses to protecting slopes where wild fires have destroyed soil-protecting trees, shrubs and other vegetation.

However, good as a conventional BFM is, the latest advancement in this science uses patented technology to take BFM performance and value to even higher levels.  It offers architects, landscape contractors and their clients a smart, cost-effective way to meet the expanded requirements and much more stringent enforcement of the new Phase II rules of the federal EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).  This program, scheduled to begin early next year, broadens storm water runoff control requirements to include more industries, smaller municipalities and construction sites that disturb 1 to 5 acres of land.

The "M" in the name of this new-generation BFM is significant.  It stands for mechanical bonding of the fibers.  The wood and synthetic fibers of this product interlock, adding a whole new dimension to BFM performance.  In fact, Conwed Fibers 3000 M-BFM is the first and only BFM to feature this revolutionary improvement.

A conventional BFM includes wood fibers and a binding agent, typically, guar gum.  This agent glues the fibers and soil particles in the top 1/4-inch of the soil surface together; creating a matrix of fibers that blankets the surface and protects it from the erosive impact of raindrops and runoff.  The other key ingredient is a crosslinking agent.  This polymer allows the matrix to remain bonded, soft and pliable once it cures, despite repeated wetting and drying cycles.

This matrix of fibers absorbs water and reduces evaporation to enhance seed germination.  At the same time, the tiny voids within the matrix allow oxygen to reach the vegetation, while providing openings for plants to grow up through the material.  Depending on climatic conditions, a BFM may control erosion for a year or more, until the material eventually biodegrades.  By then, the roots, stems and leaves of the vegetation are controlling erosion naturally.

A BFM can be applied faster over a larger area using a smaller crew than rolled erosion control blankets.  Unlike a rolled erosion control blanket, a BFM conforms to the soil surface, including obstructions, like dirt clods, rocks, branches and other debris.  As a result, no site preparation is required.  Also, it can be applied with a hose to cover otherwise inaccessible areas and to protect steep slopes which pose a safety hazard to ground crews.

As seen on LandscapeOnline.com for the original article visit here.