Patent ID: 7820560

Claim:
A turf reinforcement mat for supporting soil, comprising: at least one polymer net layer; a non-woven mat comprising a plurality of tri-lobal polymer strands, wherein a cross-sectional geometry of respective ones of the tri-lobal polymer strands has: a substantially circular, substantially uniform core region, three substantially convex and smoothly curved elongated lobes substantially equally spaced about a circumference of the core region, each elongated lobe consisting of a single, substantially symmetrical half-ellipse shaped convex member disposed along a portion of the circumference of the core region, a shortest distance between a geometrical apex of the convex member and the portion of the circumference of the core region being substantially equal to a longest width of the convex member along a geometrical axis perpendicular to a geometrical axis defined by a shortest distance between the apex and the portion of the circumference of the core region, and three substantially concave and smoothly curved channels separating the elongated lobes, a portion of each smoothly curved channel comprising a plurality of points along the circumference of the core region, each smoothly curved channel being configured to capture at least one of sediment and water, to break up a flow and an energy of water passing over said soil and said mat; and a polymer yarn stitching said net layer to said non-woven mat.