Field studies on the effects of three geotextiles on runoff and erosion of road slope in Beijing, China

• Field study on the erosion of road slopes which are under construction
• Rainfall simulation experiment on the erosion-reducing effect of geotextiles
• A self-made rainfall simulator is calibrated and used in the field study.
• Straw mats have better erosion-reducing effects than shade net and non-woven fabrics.

Runoff and soil loss from bare slopes resulting from road construction are serious. Geotextiles are a possible temporary alternative before vegetation establishes itself, and offer immediate soil protections on slopes. In order to examine the effects of three kinds of geotextiles (shade net, non-woven fabrics and straw mats) on road slopes in decreasing runoff and soil loss, a self-made rainfall simulator was calibrated and used in a field experiment on slopes of Jing–Cheng (Beijing–Chengde) highway in China. Forty rainfall simulations were carried out on four road slopes covered with straw mats, shade net, non-woven fabrics and nothing, respectively. The three kinds of geotextiles all significantly (P < 0.001) decreased runoff and sediment concentration compared with the bare slope. Furthermore, straw mats had the best effect among them, resulting in the lowest runoff coefficient (10.9%) and sediment yield (8.5 g m− 2).