Temporary access road and haul road stabilisation refers to the engineering of load-bearing unpaved surfaces on weak or variable subsoils. Soft ground, heavy vehicle movements and repeated traffic loading cause rutting and loss of bearing capacity. Secugrid® geogrids and Combigrid® geocomposite products distribute loads, reduce aggregate consumption and maintain surface integrity throughout the construction or operational period.
Secugrid® and Combigrid® deliver reliable bearing capacity wherever ground conditions challenge conventional construction.
Stabilise haul roads across soft peat and moorland for turbine transport and wind energy construction.
Provide durable access to mining facilities under heavy equipment loads and variable ground conditions.
Create load-bearing site roads quickly on variable subgrade conditions for fast-track project delivery.
Reinforce log yard haul roads and forest access tracks on weak soils for year-round operation.
Stabilise site compound and substation ground on undisturbed land with minimal surface preparation.
Temporary access roads and haul roads face intensive installation loads from heavy plant and compaction equipment. Naue geogrids are engineered to offer high resistance to installation damage. They maintain structural integrity under compaction forces and rough aggregate.
Practical advantages for site teams:
Step-by-step installation sequence:
On many haul road projects, bearing capacity alone is not the only risk. When fine particles migrate upward from a soft subgrade into the coarse aggregate base course, the base course becomes contaminated and loses its drainage function. This accelerates rutting and structural failure.
Option A: Two-layer system
Best for: standard subgrade, moderate traffic.
Option B: Single composite layer
Best for: CBR < 3 %, tight schedules, and single-supplier preference.
Key principle: Reinforcement improves bearing capacity - separation and filtration protect the base course long-term.
The right product depends on subgrade conditions, traffic loading and filtration requirements. Use this table to select the correct system.
| Criterion | Secugrid® | Combigrid® |
|---|---|---|
| Subgrade CBR value | CBR 3 %+: reinforcement only is sufficient | CBR < 3 %: separation / filtration is also required |
| Fine particle migration risk | Low: clean granular subgrade | High: cohesive, silty or peaty subgrade |
| Loading class | Standard to high (single-layer); very high (double-layer) | Standard to high; excellent on soft soils |
| Installation speed | Fast; one layer | Fastest; one composite roll replaces two layers |
| Product complexity on site | Two products if filtration is needed (Secugrid® + Secutex®) | Single product; factory-bonded; minimal seam management |
These benefits come directly from how the Naue products work in this solution, and what they mean in practice for your project.
Immediate bearing capacity
Geogrid-reinforced roads can be trafficked immediately after aggregate placement, enabling faster programme delivery.
Fewer rutting maintenance cycles
Better load distribution reduces surface deformation, extending the interval between maintenance passes and lowering whole-life cost.
Standards-compliant design
Solutions are designed in accordance with EBGEO, BS 8006-1 and BRE BR470 using Naue’s calculation tools (NauePortal), ensuring regulatory conformance.
Single-source system solution
Secugrid®, Combigrid® and Secutex® come from one manufacturer with consistent quality control certified to ISO 9001.
Temporary access road stabilisation with geosynthetics describes the use of geogrids or geocomposites placed between a soft subgrade and an aggregate base course to distribute vehicle loads, prevent rutting and reduce aggregate consumption. Secugrid® and Combigrid® are the standard Naue solutions for this application on soft ground.
Combigrid® is recommended when the subgrade CBR is below 3 % and fine particle migration into the base course is a risk. On soft cohesive or peaty subgrade, the combined reinforcement, separation and filtration function of Combigrid® protects the base course and extends road service life beyond what a geogrid alone achieves.
In the UK, BRE BR470 governs working platform design and is widely applied to haul road calculations. BS 8006-1 provides broader guidance on soil reinforcement. In Germany, EBGEO is the primary design standard. RStO and ZTV E-StB apply to German access road projects. Naue Portal’s “UnpavedRoad” calculator incorporates these standards for rapid project-specific design.
On the Blenheim Lake Restoration project (UK, 2023), Combigrid® 40/40 Q1 GRK 4 C reduced aggregate volume by around 20 % compared with an unreinforced design (source: Land & Water Ltd project manager Charlie Oakes). Depending on the project, savings of over 40 % are achievable with Combigrid®, as shown by the Naue “UnPaved Road” calculator (naue.com). Savings vary depending on subgrade conditions and design traffic loading.
The geogrid or geocomposite is unrolled directly onto the prepared subgrade surface; no specialist equipment is required. Aggregate is then placed and compacted onto the product. Combigrid® reduces installation steps as geogrid and geotextile are delivered in a single roll. 4.75 m wide rolls minimise longitudinal seams and on-site waste.
Yes. Secugrid® and Combigrid® are used on mine site access roads and haul roads globally, including in Australia, Canada, South Africa and Chile. The products handle heavy-duty loads from mining equipment and perform in challenging environments including variable rainfall and weak subgrades.
For projects in North America, AASHTO design methods are applicable alongside BRE BR470 and BS 8006-1 for international reference. Naue’s Engineering & Design Department (EDD) can advise on jurisdiction-specific requirements and supports project-based design calculations. Design references also include EBGEO (Germany) and RStO / ZTV E-StB for European projects.
By reducing the volume of aggregate required, Secugrid® and Combigrid® solutions reduce quarrying, processing and heavy haulage. Locally available recycled materials may often be used as fill.
A geogrid such as Secugrid® provides tensile reinforcement to distribute loads and reduce aggregate depth but does not prevent fine particle migration. A geocomposite such as Combigrid® combines a geogrid with a nonwoven geotextile in a single roll, delivering reinforcement, separation and filtration simultaneously. Combigrid® is the preferred solution when subgrade CBR is below 3 % and fine contamination of the base course is a risk.
Yes. Although frequently specified for temporary construction access roads, Secugrid® and Combigrid® are equally suitable for permanent unpaved roads and haul roads with design lives of 20 years or more. Design calculations follow the same methodology, with higher design traffic loading factors applied for permanent infrastructure. The “UnpavedRoad” calculator is available in the Naue Portal on our website and supports both temporary and permanent road design.
The design of geogrid-reinforced haul roads and temporary access roads follows recognised national and European standards. Naue Portal’s “UnpavedRoad” calculator supports engineers in determining the optimum Secugrid® or Combigrid® system for specific subgrade and traffic conditions - quickly, reliably and in line with current standards and common methods:
The following system benefits come directly from how the Naue products work within the layer structure:
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.
