A 3 page document providing details for the use of drip irrigation within an SmartSlope Living Retaining Wall System. http://www.thelivingwallco.com

1. Smart Slope Retaining Wall System
Drip Irrigation Tubing Installation Directive
In order to produce a healthy living wall ecosystem, Smart Slope is specifying a drip irrigation system
for its modular wall system. Below is a short description of the system and how it must be installed
to meet Smart Slope protocol. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive document. Smart Slope
installers shall refer to design details, project-specific plan set, and project specifications for
additional information.
Smart Slope installer shall be responsible for the installation of the drip tubing within the wall
structure. Because of the method of installation utilized for the Smart Slope modules, the drip tubing
shall be installed while each course of the wall is constructed.
As each course of the Smart Slope wall is set in place and has been backfilled, the installer shall lay
the drip tubing in the receptor that is engineered into each Smart Slope Module. The installer must
be careful that the tubing does not bow up or become dislodged from the receptor, as it can become
pinched when the next course of the wall is added. The installer shall not use any couplers on the
drip tubing within the wall structure. In the location where the drip irrigation header pipe is indicated
on the plan set, the wall installer shall leave an additional 12” of drip tubing stubbed out to the front or
side of the wall. Each stub shall be taped off to prohibit debris from entering the tubing. This
process shall repeat for every course of the wall.
Because of the limitations of the drip tubing length for its effective operation, each row of the drip
tubing cannot exceed 600 feet. This may result in longer walls having multiple header pipes to
account for their length. For example, a 1,200’ wall would have a PVC or PE header in the center on
the face of the wall feeding 600’ drip tubing runs in each direction. If the wall were 2,400’ in length, it
would need to be divided in half and two headers positioned on the wall face at 600’ from each end.
Refer to the Smart Slope drip irrigation design details for schematic layout.
In situations where the Smart Slope installer must ‘field engineer’ the quantity of drip tubing that can
be operated at one time, the flow rate for each linear foot of tubing will be 0.26 gallons per hour
(based on the specified tubing that has emitters spaced every 12” and a flow rate of 0.26 GPH per
emitter). Using this data, a 600 foot-long run of drip tubing would require a flow rate of 2.6 gallons
per minute. A 1,200 foot wall that is 12 courses of modules high would have a total flow rate of 62.4
GPM. Installers should consult with the irrigation installer to confirm design flow rate in order to
properly group drip tubing runs so as not to exceed irrigation system flow capacities.
Irrigation installer shall utilize an irrigation system master valve and flow sensor to protect property
from damage due to potential irrigation system leaks. The irrigation control system used on the
project shall allow the flow rate to be monitored at any given time, and have the ability to close the
master valve when the irrigation system is not active, and also in the event that the controller
recognizes a flow rate that is inconsistent with that which was assigned to the irrigation system
and/or specific zone. It is the responsibility of the owner’s representative and Smart Slope wall
installer to communicate this information with the irrigation installer. At the very minimum, Smart
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3430 2 Street, Suite 300 | Brooklyn, Maryland 21225 | Phone: (443) 874-7465 | Fax: (443) 874-7466 |
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2. Slope requires a master valve and flow sensor to monitor any control valves that service the wall
systems.
Winterization of drip tubing within Smart Slope wall structure shall be performed by irrigation
maintenance personnel at the close of the irrigating season, and prior to continued freezing
conditions (typically late October-November). Refer to manufacturer’s instructions for proper
winterization guidelines using a low pressure compressed air process typical of the irrigation
industry.
During spring start up, irrigation maintenance personnel shall follow manufacturer’s guidelines and
processes of slow recharge of drip tubing to reduce the possibility of damage to tubing, fittings, and
all other irrigation system components. The first start up and winterization shall be included in the
bid cost of the irrigation system. Wall installer shall be present at these events and make any
necessary repairs to the drip tubing within the wall structure.
Wall installer shall warranty the materials and installation of the drip tubing for a period of one (1)
year following approval of substantial (80% or greater) wall system completion. Wall installer shall
be responsible for any repairs of defective material and/or installation during this time period.
Below is the information for the drip tubing that is specified by Smart Slope for use in the living wall
module systems. Any deviation from this may void the warranty of the Smart Slope Living Wall
Module and could result in the compromise of the wall structure:
TECHLINE® CV CONTINUOUS SELF-CLEANING, PRESSURE COMPENSATING DRIPPERLINE
WITH BUILT-IN CHECK VALVE
Description
Techline® CV is low volume dripperline with integral and evenly spaced pressure compensating,
check valve drippers welded to the inside of the tubing at specified intervals. Techline CV is
available with drippers in four discharge rates (0.26, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.9 gallons per hour [GPH]) evenly
spaced at 12”, 18”, or 24” centers. Techline CV is available in 100’, 250’, and 1,000’ coils. Techline
CV Blank Tubing is available in 100’, 250’, and 1,000’ coils.
Construction
Techline CV shall consist of 17mm, nominal sized one-half inch (½”) low-density linear polyethylene
tubing with pressure compensating, continuously self-cleaning, integral drippers with internal check
valve at a specified spacing, (12”, 18”, or 24” centers) or blank tubing without drippers. The tubing
shall be brown in color and conform to an outside diameter (O.D.) of 0.66 inches and an inside
diameter (I.D.) of 0.56 inches. Individual pressure compensating drippers shall be welded to the
inside wall of the tubing as an integral part of the tubing assembly. These drippers shall be
constructed of a 2-piece plastic dripper housing containing a continuously self-flushing silicone
diaphragm capable of flushing any dirt or debris that may enter the dripper, extending the full length
of the dripper. The dripper shall have a built-in check valve that will hold the pressure exerted by a
4½’ column of water (2 psi) to ensure that tubing will not drain water on zone shutdown, or allow
outside contaminants to enter the dripperline through reverse siphonage. The dripper shall have its
water inlet located in the center of the tubing to ensure it draws water from the center of the water
stream thereby ensuring the dripper is always drawing water from the cleanest part of the stream of
water flowing through the tubing. The dripper shall also have a built-in physical root barrier whereby
the water shall exit the dripper from one location and shall exit the tubing from a second location.
This physical barrier shall create an air gap inside the tubing.
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3430 2 Street, Suite 300 | Brooklyn, Maryland 21225 | Phone: (443) 874-7465 | Fax: (443) 874-7466 |
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3. Operation
Each dripper shall have the ability to independently regulate discharge rates, with an inlet pressure of
fourteen point seven to seventy (14.7 - 70) pounds per square inch (psi), at a constant flow and with
a manufacturer’s coefficient of variability (Cv) of 0.03 or less. Recommended operating pressure
shall be between 20 - 50 psi. The dripper discharge rate shall be 0.26 gallons per hour (GPH)
utilizing a combination turbulent flow/reduced pressure compensation cell mechanism and a
diaphragm. The drippers shall be capable of continuously cleaning themselves while in operation.
The dripperline shall be available with 12” spacing between drippers unless otherwise specified. For
subsurface installation, Techline CV pipe depth shall be installed in the Smart Slope Living Wall
module as indicated on the detail drawings unless otherwise specified. Maximum system pressure
shall be 50 psi. Filtration shall be 120 mesh or finer. Bending radius shall be 7”.
Drip tubing to be supplied by Smart Slope when modules, reinforcement and other accessories are
delivered.
nd
3430 2 Street, Suite 300 | Brooklyn, Maryland 21225 | Phone: (443) 874-7465 | Fax: (443) 874-7466 |
www.smartslope.com