Geocell Ground Grid: The Ultimate Guide to Ground Stabilization

05 Jun.,2025

 

Geocell Ground Grid: The Ultimate Guide to Ground Stabilization

How Geocell Ground Grids Work: The Ultimate Guide to Ground Stabilization

Discover how geocell ground grids improve ground stabilization for driveways, sheds, slopes, and more. 

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Stabilize and secure your ground ONCE and for ALL

Geocell ground grids are revolutionizing ground stabilization, offering durable and eco-friendly solutions for driveways, slopes, trails, and more. Whether you’re a homeowner, contractor, or farmer, geocell ground grids provide unmatched performance and cost-effectiveness. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about geocell ground grids, how they work, and why they are a top choice for ground reinforcement projects.

BaseCore™ geocells eliminate erosion and acts like rebar to reinforce the ground.

This translates to benefits for many areas around your home, business or farm. The perforation (holes) in the BaseCore™ allow water to move freely without washing out the material, thereby protecting you from sinking, ruts, potholes, runoff and more.

What Is a Geocell Ground Grid?

A geocell ground grid is a cellular confinement system made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). These honeycomb-like grids are expanded on-site and filled with gravel, soil, or sand, creating a strong, stable surface.

Designed to distribute loads evenly and prevent soil erosion, geocell ground grids are ideal for various applications, including:

  • Driveways and parking areas
  • Slopes and embankments
  • Walkways and trails
  • Parks and Golf Courses
  • Animal paddocks and farmyards
  • Erosion control for landscaping
  • Pole Barns
  • Sheds, Carports and more!

Benefits of Using Geocell Ground Grids

  • Prevents Erosion and Soil Shifting Geocell ground grids act like rebar for the ground, keeping the fill material in place and preventing erosion. The perforated cells allow water to flow freely without washing away the base material.
  • Reduces Gravel and Fill Material Costs A geocell ground grid requires less fill material compared to traditional methods. For instance, using 3 inches of geocell grid provides the same stability as 12 inches of gravel, significantly reducing material costs.
  • Increases Surface Durability By distributing loads evenly, geocell ground grids prevent ruts, potholes, and sinking. This ensures a long-lasting, stable surface for vehicles, animals, and foot traffic.
  • Eco-Friendly Solution Geocell ground grids minimize environmental impact by reducing the amount of material needed and improving drainage, protecting nearby ecosystems from runoff and erosion.

How Geocell Ground Grids Work

BaseCore™ allows for easy do-it-yourself projects around your home or business. Arriving in collapsable panels that can be connected together to accommodate your specific dimensional needs or easily trimmed to precise dimensions. In fact, they can be added on to, removed and reapplied over time as needed.

Cellular Confinement: Protects Your Base from Disappearing

The honeycomb structure of geocell grids confines fill material within the cells, preventing lateral movement and creating a solid, load-bearing surface.

BaseCore holds gravel or your fill material in small confined cells of plastic, which keeps the material in place and prevents it from being pushed down into the sub-base. This reduces the threat of ruts and keeps your surface nice and level.

Reduces Gravel or Infill Material Costs

Using just 3" of BaseCore™, provides you with the same strength as 12" of gravel would without a cellular confinement system like BaseCore™. Save on the cost of gravel and add lifetime rigidity to your base, using the HDPE ground grid panels that can be expanded to accommodate areas of all sizes.

Perforation for Drainage: Controls Water Flow Preventing Erosion

Geocell grids feature perforated walls that allow water to pass through, preventing pooling and reducing erosion risks. This makes them ideal for areas prone to heavy rain, runoff or to prevent mudslides.

Load Distribution

Geocell grids spread loads evenly across the surface, reducing pressure on the sub-base. This ensures stability for both light and heavy applications, from pedestrian walkways to driveways for heavy trucks.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide for BaseCore Geocell Ground Grids

Like all of our products, BaseCore™ is designed to be installed easily without the need for heavy equipment.

Prepare Your Base

Remove any large rock or debris. Lay the BaseCore™ on top of the ground and dig approximately 4-5” to make the BaseCore™ flush with the surrounding ground. Or, utilize a border around the outside edges of the BaseCore™ geocell to protect the edges from being exposed.

Install Geotextile Fabric

It is highly recommended to use a barrier between the panels and ground soil or mud below. Roll the fabric over the entire area where the panels will be positioned. Overlap all edges around the BaseCore™ and each seam between the fabric pieces by approximately 8-12”.

Secure Geocell Panels

Place the panel on the ground and secure the end with 4-6 1/2 rebar stakes (12"). Expand the panel fully and stake the other end. 

Connect or Trim Panels

 When placing multiple panels together, you can connect them using the included locking clips. If the BaseCore™ is larger than the area needed, you can trim the excess with scissors or a utility knife or only expand it enough to cover the desired area.

Fill Basecore™ Panels

Fill each geocell with angular gravel, extending the amount of gravel approximately 2” above each cell. Once each panel is set and has enough gravel to cover each geocell plus the additional 2”, it can now be driven on by a tractor or other equipment.

Compact Your Surface

Run the compactor slowly over each inch of the space including each edge. If any of the BaseCore™ becomes exposed, add more gravel and compact it.

Applications of Geocell Ground Grids

  1. Driveways and Parking Areas Geocell ground grids provide a stable, rut-free surface for residential and commercial driveways, parking lots, and carports. They can handle light and heavy vehicle traffic with ease.
  2. Erosion Control for Slopes and Embankments Prevent soil erosion and landslides on slopes with geocell grids. Their structure holds soil in place, even on steep inclines.
  3. Walkways and Trails Create accessible, erosion-free paths for pedestrians, bikes, and wheelchairs. Geocell grids are perfect for parks, nature reserves, and hiking trails.
  4. Farmyards and Animal Paddocks Reduce mud and erosion in high-traffic areas such as paddocks, feeding zones, and farmyards. Geocell grids provide a stable surface that’s easy to clean and maintain.
  5. Landscaping and Garden Projects Use geocell grids to stabilize soil for garden beds, retaining walls, and decorative gravel paths. Their versatility makes them a popular choice for DIY landscaping projects.

Why Choose BaseCore Geocell Ground Grids?

BaseCore™ geocell ground grids are engineered for exceptional performance and durability. Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), they are UV-resistant, weatherproof, and designed to withstand heavy loads. 

The BaseCore™ geocell features a very high tensile strength to withstand large amounts of lateral force and is effective in all climates. Whether you’re reinforcing a driveway or stabilizing a slope, BaseCore™ provides a cost-effective, long-lasting solution.

What materials can I use to fill a geocell ground grid?

You can use angular gravel, crushed stone, sand, or soil as fill material. Angular gravel is recommended for maximum stability.

How long do geocell ground grids last?

Made from durable HDPE, geocell grids can last decades with proper installation and maintenance.

Can geocell grids be reused?

Yes, geocell grids are collapsible and can be reused for multiple projects, making them a cost-effective solution.

Do I need heavy equipment to install geocell grids?

No, geocell grids are designed for easy installation without heavy machinery, making them suitable for DIY projects.

Can geocell ground grids be used in extreme weather conditions?

Yes, geocell ground grids are designed to withstand extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall, and snow, making them suitable for various climates and environmental conditions.

How do geocell ground grids help with drainage?

The perforated structure of geocell grids allows water to flow through, preventing pooling and promoting proper drainage to reduce erosion and runoff.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Plastic Geogrid For Parking Lots.

How do I know which geocell height is right for my project?

The choice of geocell height depends on the application. For light-duty use, 2-inch grids are sufficient, while 3-inch or 4-inch grids are better for vehicles and heavier loads. For extreme conditions or commercial projects, 6-inch grids are recommended.

Can geocell ground grids be cut to fit irregular spaces?

Yes, geocell grids can be easily trimmed with scissors or a utility knife to fit custom shapes and sizes, making them versatile for any project.

Do I need a professional to install geocell ground grids?

No, geocell grids are designed for simple, DIY-friendly installation. Most projects can be completed without heavy equipment, but professionals may be helpful for larger or more complex installations.

Specifications and Options

  • 2-Inch BaseCore Geocell – Ideal for light pedestrian use, trails, and garden paths.
  • 3-Inch BaseCore  Geocell – Suitable for light vehicle traffic, such as driveways and carports.
  • 4-Inch BaseCore  Geocell – Designed for heavier vehicles and sloped terrain.
  • 6-Inch BaseCore  Geocell – Perfect for commercial use, including parking lots and fire truck access.

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Geogrid Construction & Civil Engineering Resources - Tensar

No. Geogrid strength does not correlate to in-ground performance, which has been demonstrated in multiple studies (Watts et al., & Giroud & Han, ). The ability of the geogrid to interlock and confine the aggregate subjected to traffic loading is fundamental to deliver enhanced performance of the mechanically stabilized layer (MSL). This enhanced performance can only be measured through full-scale in-ground trafficking testing. Geogrid characteristics such as rib shape, aperture shape, polymer type and material structure configuration, rib thickness, in-plane stiffness, junction shape, geogrid-aggregate compatibility and many other factors are contributors to the amount of interlock and confinement achieved, and therefore, enhanced performance of the MSL.

No, they don’t. Aperture shape and size are key parameters to allow interlock between the particles of the granular fill material and the geogrid. However, other geogrid properties such as the rib height, rib width, rib aspect ratio, rib material, geogrid in-plane stiffness, and relative location of the rib with respect to the center of mass of the granular fill particles are key to delivering improved performance of the mechanical stabilized layer (MSL). Having the right shape of rib is also fundamental to the performance of the system.

Geogrids must have a minimum tensile strength to make sure the product is not damaged during the installation and compaction of aggregate. However, no correlation has ever been shown to exist between tensile strength and the performance of geogrids used for roadbed applications. This has been demonstrated in multiple studies (Watts et al., & Giroud & Han, ).

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No, InterAx geogrids work differently than TriAx or BX geogrids because of InterAx’s unique structure, its wide range of aperture shapes and sizes, and the interactive outer layers. By having a geogrid structure with multiple aperture shapes and sizes, particles of different types of fill materials can interlock and interact more efficiently with InterAx. This geogrid/particle interaction is enhanced by InterAx’s interactive outer layers, which conform to the shape and angularity of the particles of the fill material. These characteristics enhance the load distribution onto the subgrade, mitigating subgrade deformation and early failure of the mechanically stabilized layer (MSL). Lastly, since different types of geogrids have different structures, material characteristics, and performance properties, geogrids are not interchangeable without revising the design.

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Biaxial geogrid was invented by Tensar in the late s. Biaxial geogrids have square or rectangular openings, called apertures. Different types of biaxial geogrids exist on the market, but for roadbed applications, testing has consistently shown that integral geogrids made by a process known as punched and drawn perform best. In , Tensar introduced multiaxial geogrids, known as TriAx. These geogrids have triangular apertures and ribs with a higher aspect ratio than biaxial geogrids. This geometry provides better interlock with the surrounding aggregate than biaxial geogrids, resulting in improved performance in stabilization applications. In , Tensar introduced InterAx geogrids. InterAx builds on the decades of knowledge and testing at Tensar to deliver a higher level of performance. Through thousands of hours and millions of dollars of research and development, we combined advanced materials science, a revolutionary new geometry, extensive performance validation testing, and an entirely new design approach to deliver better solutions that are more economical, longer lasting, more resilient, and more sustainable.
 

Characteristic InterAx TriAx BX Development InterAx geogrids were introduced in , representing a significant leap forward in geogrid design and materials TriAx geogrids were introduced in , which marked an advancement in geosynthetic technology BX geogrids have been around since the late s Generation Third Second First Aperture Geometry Triangular, Hexagonal, Trapezoidal Triangular Square Material Structure Coextruded - Three Layers  Monolithic - Single Layer Monolithic - Single Layer Stabilization Direction Longitudinal, transverse, and diagonal Llongitudinal, transverse, and diagonal Longitudinal and transverse Performance Best load distribution and interlocking capabilities with various types of fill materials Adequate load distribution and interlocking capabilities Limited load distribution  Performance Differential

Geogrids are polymeric (plastic) construction materials used to confine and stabilize granular fill materials to increase their load distribution capabilities while reducing its potential to deform under load. Geogrids have openings called apertures, which allow for rock particles to strike through. This action is known as particle interlocking, and it allows for rock to become confined within the aperture.

Geotextiles are construction materials made from woven or non-woven polymeric (plastic)  fibers. They can be used to provide filtration and separation, which restrains soil from mixing with adjacent materials due to dynamic forces. Geotextiles cannot confine granular fill materials, since there are no apertures to achieve particle interlocking.

Unless you are an expert in pavement design, it may be very difficult to evaluate all of the information that may be submitted to you – let alone find time to do so. Unscrupulous suppliers often try to take advantage of this fact by providing large quantities of information, even though it is not sufficient to show equivalency and may not even be relevant to the application. You can reduce the confusion by writing a project specific specification that includes the information outlined in the checklists we linked above – depending on the application (subgrade stabilization or designing a pavement).

Yes. There are different design methods and inputs for each design method. The allowable amount of permanent deformation also likely differs for both of these applications. They require different testing, and have significantly different failure criteria. Specifics on what to look for when comparing testing for subgrade stabilization and paved road design can be found in the FAQ below.

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Performance is not based on index properties of the geogrid, measured in a lab. It is determined empirically, using full-scale in-ground trafficking testing. Request a copy of the design inputs and the design method which were used as the basis of equivalency. Also ask for the full-scale testing, with the specific product being submitted (not another “similar product”), and documentation from an independent authority verifying that the testing and calibration were performed properly. Once you have this information, you will be able to compare performance related sections and evaluate equivalency.

Download Subgrade Stabilization Checklist

Performance is not based on index properties of the geogrid, measured in a lab. It is determined empirically, using full-scale in-ground trafficking testing. Require a copy of the third-party testing on which the supplier is basing its claim of equivalency. This testing should include Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT), performed on paved sections, following the procedures defined by NCHRP report 512. There should be multiple sections tested over different subgrade conditions and different pavement section thicknesses. Require a third-party review, by pavement design experts, verifying that the design values and methodology used are supported by testing for that product, and follow the guidance of AASHTO in R50-09 (“Geosynthetic Reinforcement of the Aggregate Base Course of Flexible Pavement Structures”). Also require third-party field validation testing, following AASHTO T221-90 (), to demonstrate that the results obtained in the field support the assumptions used in the design methodology, and that deformations are in line with predictions.

Download Pavement Checklist

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