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CU-Structural Soil is the answer for the tree "death pits" that have become the standard in municipal planting projects. It works by allowing the roots of the tree to expand with growth without damaging the concrete surfaces and structures in the surrounding area.
There are two very important requirements that must be satisfied when planting trees in a hardscape environment. In a typical tree pit planting, only the first requirement stated below is normally satisfied. The second requirement is not:
1.
SATISFYING THE ENIGINEER’S STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENT:
CU Structural Soil satisfies the engineer’s structural need of the planting by supporting the sidewalk, using a composition of 1½” crushed angular stone that is coated with a sandy loam soil so that when the material is compacted those stones still touch one another which gives the material it’s strength. This maintains stone-to-stone contact even though the soil component is suspended within the void space between the stones.
2.
SATISFYING THE ROOT SYSTEM’S REQUIREMENT:
The void space mentioned above allows for a much higher degree of air and water flow throughout the soil providing a much higher level of nutrients and moisture to the roots. This also allows the roots to grow in a downward and horizontal direction, whereas in a traditional tree planting the roots follow the path of least resistance, which unfortunately, is always vertical, causing very destructive upheaval.
Why use CU-Soil?
CU-Soil
solves three major problems that plague landscapes and streetscapes:
1. Sidewalk Injury Claims: Between 2004 & 2005, New York City paid out over $120,000,000 in sidewalk injury claims caused by root system upheaval.
2. Replanting Trees: Trees planted in a traditional tree pit typically live 7 to 10 years and then need to be replaced. However, trees planted in CU-Soil are capable of living 90 to 100 years.
3. Replacing Sidewalks: Vertically growing root systems cause upheaval, resulting in the destruction of sidewalks and streetscapes; creating millions of dollars in maintenance expenses each year.
