Silva Cell Tree And Stormwater Management System From Deeproot

SILVA CELL OVERVIEW

The Silva Cell is a modular suspended pavement system that uses soil volumes to support large tree growth and provide powerful on-site stormwater management through absorption, evapotranspiration, and interception.

Each Silva Cell is composed of a frame and a deck. Frames are 48'' (1200 mm) long x 24'' (600 mm) wide x 16'' (400 mm) high. They can be stacked one, two, or three units high before they are topped with a deck to create a maximum containment area for lightly compacted loam soil. Silva Cells can be spread laterally as wide as necessary. Each unit is approximately 92% void space, making it easy to accommodate surrounding utilities.

Six rigid vertical posts protrude from the bottom of the frame to support hardscape along with the weight of any load they carry. Their rounded edged prevent significant stress concentrations, meaning that the supported hardscapes are in no danger of sinking due to compressive forces.

The deck is a rigid platform with six recesses position to snap securely on the six posts of the frame. Openings on the deck allow ample room for air and water to penetrate to the enclosed soil.

LOAM SOIL UNDER SUSPENDED PAVEMENT (SILVA CELL) VS. STRUCTURAL SOIL

In 2004, Dr. Tom Smiley with the Bartlett Tree Laboratory started a study to compare how trees performed in different planting media in a simulated urban setting. The research plot was set up so that 12 trees were planted grown in loam soil under a suspended pavement system (which is identical in performance to the Silva Cell), 12 trees in a gravel/soil mix (similar to CU structural soil), 12 trees were planted in a stalite/soil mix (structural soil made with expanded shale), 12 trees were planted in compacted soil, and 12 trees in pure stalite. All trees have access to 189 ft3 of growing medium. The trees are monitored and tracked from year to year to measure twig extension, height, DBH, and more.

It’s clear from the size of the trees and the color and number of leaves that the trees in the Loam Soil Under Suspended Pavement (Silva Cell) treatment are outperforming those in Structural Soil by a significant margin. Our expectation is that this advantage, which is so marked even at such an early stage, will only continue to compound over coming years. Dr. Smiley will measure their progress each year. You can follow the pictures of this study from year to year on our blog.

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Bartlett Tree Lab study is not sponsored by DeepRoot. Bartlett is an independent lab that chooses their own test parameters, conditions, and technologies. DeepRoot did not influence, pay for, or at any point become involved in the planning or design of that study.