Urban Horticulture Institute, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences : Department of Horticulture : Urban Horticulture Institute : Outreach : Cornell Structural Soil

Urban Horticulture Institute
Cornell Structural Soil

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Structural soil was developed at Cornell University to safely bear pavement loads after compaction and still allow root penetration and vigorous tree growth. It was recently patented and trademarked under the name 'CU-Soil' to insure quality control.

For more information, see:

New: Using Porous Asphalt and CU-Structural Soil® 15-page booklet details how the combination of porous asphalt and CU-Structural Soil® reduces runoff and improves water quality. The combination allows both water and air to infiltrate the base course underneath the pavement surface. This not only allows for healthier root and tree growth, but the trees further reduce water levels through transpiration. 1.4 MB .pdf file.
New: CU-Structural Soil: An Update after More than a Decade of Use in the Urban Environment - Article by Nina Bassuk in the Jan./Feb. 2008 issue of City Trees: The Journal of the Society of Municipal Arborists.
CU-Structural Soil DVD Includes three videos: Support Your Local Tree (13:30, describes background, mixing and placement of CU-Structural Soil), and two shorts showing excavations of London Plane trees with roots growing in CU-Structural Soil for 5 or 7 years. Also includes a .pdf file of the 15-page booklet on Using CU-Structural Soil™ in the Urban Environment (see below). $29.95. Order form..
Using CU-Structural Soil™ in the Urban Environment [15 MB .pdf] - Healthy trees need a large volume of non-compacted soil with adequate drainage and aeration and reasonable fertility. CU-Structural Soil™ meets these needs while also fulfilling engineers’ load-bearing requirements for base courses under pavement. New! En français.
CU-Structural Soil Graphics and Plan Views
Structural Soils Power Point Presentation
AMEREQ Imc./CU-Soil™ Division - An introduction to the subject by producers and marketer of CU-Structural Soil™ including list of installations.
Journal articles about soil compaction and structural soil.

To find out more about CU-Soil or to become a sub-licensee, please contact Mr. Fernando Erazo, at Amereq Inc., 19 Squadron Blvd., New City, New York 10956. (914) 634-2400 or (800) 832-8788.

Or contact CU-Soil developer Nina Bassuk (607) 255-4586, e-mail nlb2@cornell.edu