Grading involves the reshaping the ground surface to planned grades as determined as engineering survey, evaluation, and layout. Land grading provides:
more suitable topography for buildings, facilities, and other land uses Helps to control surface runoff, soil erosion, sedimentation during and after construction.
Aesthetics
Geomorphic
Blends ecologically and visually with the character of the existing natural landscape. Creates uniform slope and forms usually are crisply defined geometric shades.
Architectonic
Naturalistic
Most common type of grading, particularly in suburban and rural settings. It is a stylized approach in which abstract (or organic landforms are used) to present or imitate landscape.
Enclosure
Containment Protection Privacy Screening It terminates the lines and eliminates undesirable views.
Enhancing
topography
Proposed landforms, topography or grade changes and design elements maybe constructed or placed to emphasize, negate or have a little impact on visual structure of the landscape. Basic considerations:
Fill
Grading
that results in radical loss of vegetation and or topsoil Grading that interrupts the natural drainage Grading that results in aesthetic degradation Grading on difficult slopes (excess of 25%), in floodplains, estuaries, or bogs, or in other environmentally unique conditions. Grading in areas susceptible to natural disasters, such as mud slides or along earthquake fault lines.
Mulch -Is a protective cover placed over the soil, to retain moisture, reduce erosion, suppress weed growth and seed germination, and provide nutrients as they decay.
Planting
Mortar
bags
Selected trees, shrubs, and vines (indigenous preferred) Plant roots and detritus knit and hold the surface soil layers.
Gabions
-boxes
filled with soil or sand -For erosion control caged riprap is used. -For dams or foundation construction, cylindrical metal structures are used.
material used to armour shorelines, streambeds, bridge abutments, pilings and other shoreline structures against scour, water or ice erosion.
Cribbing
Footing
A laid-up crib at interlocking used metal or concrete members filled with rock ballast.
column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure
Retaining wall - Cast wall may be left rough- with form board or exposed aggregate texture.
EMBANKMENT
LANDSCAPE CURVE
GULLY
SWALES
DITCH
MOUND
KNOLL
Landscape curve is used to blend cut buttons and tops of engineered embankments. Such naturalized slopes are more stable and more pleasing to the eye.