The stabilisation of ground for solar energy projects involves the engineering of load-bearing access tracks, crane pads and working platforms on weak or variable subgrades. Soft ground, peat and low-bearing soils cause rutting and structural failure. Naue Secugrid® and Combigrid® solve this challenge through subgrade reinforcement and integrated filtration.
Naue geosynthetics are used wherever load-bearing capacity, long-term durability and economic performance are critical on solar farm construction sites.
Stabilise weak peat or clay subgrades to carry construction plant and long-term maintenance vehicles
Load-bearing platforms for module mounting, inverter installation and maintenance access
Stable subbases for cable trenches, substation and access compounds
Erosion protection and revegetation on steep slopes below photovoltaic arrays
Solar farm sites are typically remote and located on soft, waterlogged or peaty ground. Secugrid geogrids and Combigrid composite products are designed for demanding site conditions. They perform reliably on and tight build programmes without specialist plant or extended operative training. Geogrid solutions deliver stability across the full construction cycle from first access to long-term maintenance.
The design of geogrid systems for solar farm access tracks and crane pads follows recognised standards including BS 8006-1, EBGEO and project-specific ground investigation data. Naue's design tool supports you in identifying the optimum system for your project quickly and in accordance with the relevant standard and with full traceability.
Practical benefits:
On many solar farm sites, bearing capacity is not the only consideration. The long-term performance of the access track is equally important. When fines from soft subgrades migrate into coarse aggregate, the base course loses drainage capacity and load-bearing performance. A separation and filtration layer prevents this migration.
Key principle: Reinforcement improves bearing capacity. Separation and filtration protect the base course long-term.
System options for solar farm site access:
The right product depends on subgrade conditions, load class and the need for filtration. For very soft subgrades (CBR < 1%) multiple geogrid layers or project-specific design may be required. Use this table or the Naue software tools to select the optimum Naue solution for your project. For project-specific advice you can also contact the Naue engineering team.
| Criterion | Secugrid® geogrid | Combigrid® geocomposite | Secugrid® geogrid + Secutex® geotextile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subgrade type | Cohesive or granular, CBR >= 2% | Soft or fine-grained, CBR < 2% | Soft with high fines migration risk |
| Load class | Light to heavy traffic | Heavy construction plant traffic | Heavy traffic on very weak soils |
| Filtration required? | No | Yes (integrated Secutex® layer) | Yes (separate layer) |
| Installation complexity | Single geogrid layer only |
Higher operational availability
Better load distribution in the base course raises the bearing capacity and reduces surface deformation. This improves access track usability during the construction and operational phases which is critical for maintenance vehicle access over a 25-40-year project life.
Protect the base course long-term
The integrated separation and filtration function prevents fine material migration from the subgrade. This is essential for long-term access track durability on solar farm sites with high groundwater levels or peat conditions.
Simple installation even in remote locations
Combigrid® combines geogrid and geotextile in one product. This simplifies installation in remote areas, which is particularly important for solar farm sites far from urban infrastructure. By using geosynthetic stabilisation solutions, ground exchange can often be avoided and aggregate depth reduced, saving material, transport and construction time.
Ground stabilisation for solar energy projects involves the engineering of load-bearing access tracks, crane pads and working platforms on weak subgrades. Soft ground, peat and fine-grained soils cause rutting and structural failure under heavy plant. Secugrid® and Combigrid® geogrids reinforce the subgrade to deliver stable, durable surfaces for construction and long-term maintenance traffic.
Use Secugrid® when the focus is on bearing capacity and load distribution on cohesive or granular subgrades (CBR ≥ 2%). Use Combigrid® when fines migration is a risk, e.g. on soft, peaty or fine-grained subgrades (CBR < 2%). Combigrid® integrates a Secutex® filtration layer in a single product, simplifying installation on remote sites and reducing the number of construction interfaces.
Naue software tools help to select the optimum Naue solution for your project. For project-specific advice you can also contact the Naue engineering team.
Design follows recognised standards including BS 8006-1 (reinforced fills and slopes), EBGEO (German geosynthetic design guidelines) and BS EN ISO 10319 (geotextile tensile testing). CE marking is covered under BS EN 13249 and EN 13251. Project-specific requirements from the site engineer or developer also apply. Naue provides standards-compliant design support.
Geogrid reinforcement can reduce the required aggregate depth compared with an unreinforced design on soft subgrades. This directly reduces material and transport costs. In many cases, ground exchange is avoided entirely, reducing construction duration and site disturbance.
Combigrid® is supplied in 100 m x 4.75 m rolls and installed directly onto the prepared subgrade. Rolls are overlapped at joints by a minimum of 300 mm. Aggregate is placed immediately after installation to anchor the product. No specialist plant is required. The combined geogrid and geotextile in one product significantly reduces handling time on remote solar farm sites.
Yes. Multiple Secugrid® and Combigrid® grades carry CE marking under EN 13251. Secutex® products are certified under EN 13252 and EN 13253. Documentation is provided in European Technical Assessments and Declarations of Performance. Contact Naue for project-specific certification documentation.
Yes. Secumat® erosion control mats stabilise vegetated slopes around photovoltaic arrays and drainage channels. The three-dimensional mat structure promotes root growth and prevents surface erosion under rainfall. Secumat® 401 G4 is UV-stabilised for long-term outdoor performance.
Secugrid® and Combigrid® are designed with high stiffness at low elongation (approx. 18 kN/m at 2% strain) to deliver effective load transfer under repeated cyclic loading. The geogrid is made of stretched, monolithic flat bars that are welded at the junctions, giving high junction strength and controlled long-term creep behaviour.
Secumat® 401 G4 is installed directly over the compacted slope surface after earthworks are complete. On steep slopes (gradient > 1:2) it may be combined with Secutex® geotextile as an interface protection layer. Secugrid® can be incorporated as a basal reinforcement layer at the slope toe where surcharge loads from panel structures act on the slope face. Naue provides project-specific slope design support (personally and digitally in the Naue Portal) using standards-compliant methods (BS 8006-1, EBGEO).
Naue Secugrid® geogrid stabilises and reinforces roads, embankments, working platforms, slopes and walls.
Naue Combigrid® is a geogrid with integrated nonwoven geotextile that combines stabilisation, reinforcement, separation and filtration in a single installation step.
Naue Secutex® is a mechanically bonded nonwoven geotextile for separation, filtration and protection in roads, railways and hydraulic engineering projects.
Naue Secumat® is an erosion control mat for the protection of slopes, channels and embankments.
| Two separate layers required |
| Recommended product | Secugrid® 30/30 Q6 to Secugrid® 80/80 R6 | Combigrid® 40/40 Q6 GRK3/4 | Secugrid® + Secutex® GRK3/5 |