Tree Root Protection with Rainsmart Terravault

The planting of trees in a street or carpark setting has grown in popularity over recent years which has transformed urban developments into great looking and welcoming spaces.

Installations such as these can pose two issues:

1. Compact soil in urban areas means trees die as roots have nowhere to grow
2. Where roots do grow, they grow upwards which leads to dips and cracks in pavements.

If you encounter either of these problems, then we have the perfect solution which can be incorporated into a development's sustainable drainage design… introducing our Rainsmart Terravault Tree Root Protection system.

The Terravault is a modular unit that allows the successful planting of trees without having a negative impact on tree health or the stability of pavements due to overgrown roots. The cellular confinement system provides guaranteed protection for the roots of mature trees from both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Strong Modular Units

The Terravault system is the strongest of its kind in the market providing a unique way to cap off and seal the root zone. Terravault modules are assembled to form a skeletal matrix that supports relevant pavement loads while providing large volumes of un-compacted soil within the structure for free root growth. 

The open matrix provides a maximum growth zone for tree roots. More than 95% of the internal void volume is available for un-compacted soil and root growth.

Traditionally, rock and soil mix is used to provide support for pavement, this has led to some root growth within the pavement itself. The Terravault system has moved this principle forward by entirely replacing the rock (80% of the total volume) the engineered modules provide the structural strength for pavement loads whilst providing free un-compacted root zone for trees.

The Terravault system prevents damage to the root structure from vertical pressures by completely absorbing all imposed loads placed upon it. This permits quality root structure of new and existing trees to grow in a healthy environment.

The voids should be filled with nutrient-rich soil to act as a slow-release fertiliser continually feeding the root structure. The failure to install a protection system such as Terravault could result in the surface becoming over compact and rutted resulting in not enough oxygen and nutrients getting to the roots - ultimately killing the tree.

A combination of open and closed plates can be used to channel the roots and allow them to grow in the direction you desire, blocking off areas where you don’t want roots to encroach.

Terravault Tree Root Protection Applications

Roadside Pavement & Streetscaping

If you're installing trees alongside a road whether that be trafficked or pedestrian then you can use the crates to ensure that roots do not grow under the road which may later down the line lead to issues. 

Roadside Application

Car Parks

Take up the opportunity to install trees in car parks - use the Terravault system to surround the crate ensuring that the system is capped when bordering areas where you don't want roots to encroach. 

Carpark Application

Squares & Courtyards

Install underneath squares and courtyards in order to protect trees in areas where the soil is compact and to ensure roots don't grow upwards leading to rutted paving / slabs.

Courtyard Application