ABSTRACT
This is probably the cheapest method of retaining ground, provided that the earth is available on site and that it is of a suitable type and consistency. Soils vary considerably in their ability to stay where they are put, especially if the embankment is designed to the limit of the soil's natural angle of repose. Earth banks take up a lot of ground area proportional to the height of the ground retained, and as they take a long time - up to 30 years - to settle down into their permanent form they should only be considered when there is plenty of room for them and the final height and angle of slope are not critical. Earth banks are nice, gentle, natural-looking earth retaining structures, and are of course amenable to all kinds of planting, though erosion may be a problem if the slope is liable to runoff of surface water or human wear and tear. It may be necessary to prevent access to the earth embankment for at least the first growing season in order to allow vegetation to become properly established before the public is allowed to wander about on it. Desire lines for paths should be established as early as possible so that properly constructed footpaths can be created to attract pedestrians and to prevent them from over-running the more fragile parts of the embankment, and the contractor should not be allowed access to the slope after it has been constructed.
