Current environmental laws make it legally and financially necessary for engineers and contractors to take steps to control soil erosion from job sites where soils have been disturbed. It is no longer adequate to throw some seed and straw on a slope face and hope that this will arrest erosion. On gentle slopes, erosion blankets, both natural and man-made, or hydro-seeding can be employed to hold soil and seed in place until vegetation gets established. These lightweight products may not be enough to control erosion caused by high water velocities associated with steep slopes.

Design of cellular confinement systems for slopes requires analysis of several site characteristics. The length, height and angle of the slope and the failure angle of existing fill on the slope are important factors in determining the appropriate cell depth and anchoring design.

Geocell improves the performance of vegetated slopes by reinforcing root systems and directing hydraulic flows over the top of cells, with the cells acting as a series of check dams; thereby preventing formation of rills and gullies.

GeoProducts improves the performance of granular filled slopes by controlling the migration of fills that would otherwise be initiated by hydraulic and gravitational forces. This is accomplished by dissipating hydraulic energy in and underneath cells and by confinement of fill material within cells

A geocell placed on a steep slope not only holds the soil in place, but the cell walls slow the flow of water down the slope. This action will reduce or eliminate the formation of rills on the slope face that is a major cause of soil erosion. In addition, water is trapped in the cells and seeps down through the soil, which is conductive for deep root growth. Geocell may also be installed on slopes subject to wave action. Typically, large rip rap is used to combat shoreline erosion. Unfortunately, large rip rap is not very effective, is not very attractive and can be an environmental concern. With geocell, small rip rap or rock that would normally be washed away, can be used to control wave action erosion. A blanket of rock protects the shoreline, creates an attractive facia, and restricts the growth of vegetation that can provide a home for rodents and insects. Geocell is an economic and aesthetic alternative to gabion baskets.