A concrete mat apparatus, includes a plurality of elongated concrete members, each member being aligned with and next to another concrete member. Each of the concrete members has an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper or lower surface. Reinforcement extends from a first end portion of each concrete member to a second end portion thereof, the reinforcement including a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcement bars and a plurality of encircling tie bars at spaced apart intervals. Cabling connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of the elongated concrete members. The combination of elongated concrete members has a width and a length that is at least twice as long as the width. The upper inclined surfaces of one of the elongated concrete members forms a plane with the lower inclined surface of an adjacent elongated concrete member. A plurality of loops are provided along opposed edges of the mat, each loop formed by a portion of the cabling. The loops can be spaced between about one and three feet (30.5 and 91.4 cm) apart.

A process for making an erosion control mat includes rotating a cylindrical drum having a plurality of mold cavities; depositing a paste into the mold cavities; selecting the sheet of mesh material to have sufficient tensile strength to join the blocks of hardened paste together without tearing or separating from the blocks of hardened paste, and to have sufficient density to retain the paste within the mold cavities as the drum rotates; covering an outer surface of the cylindrical drum and outer surfaces of the paste with the sheet of mesh material; continuing to rotate the cylindrical drum as the paste hardens into dimensionally stable blocks, and holding the sheet against the outer surface such that the sheet retains the paste within the mold cavities and the sheet becomes embedded in the paste; and separating the dimensionally stable blocks from the mold cavities.

In an exemplary embodiment, a flexible mat forming system includes a rotating drum having a plurality of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof; a hopper positioned adjacent the drum, the hopper shaped to receive a hardenable paste and deposit the hardenable paste into successive mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities facing the hopper, as the drum rotates relative to the hopper; wherein the hopper includes an opening shaped and positioned to align with the mold cavities facing the hopper; and a sheet of mesh material that is fed between the hopper and the mold cavities facing the hopper.

A concrete mat apparatus, includes a plurality of elongated concrete members, each member being aligned with and next to another concrete member. Each of the concrete members has an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper or lower surface. Reinforcement extends from a first end portion of each concrete member to a second end portion thereof, the reinforcement including a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcement bars and a plurality of encircling tie bars at spaced apart intervals. Cabling connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of the elongated concrete members. The upper inclined surfaces of one of the elongated concrete members forms a plane with the lower inclined surface of an adjacent elongated concrete member. A plurality of loops are provided along opposed edges of the mat.

A flexible mat forming system may include an elongate, rotatable drum having a plurality of transverse rows of mold cavities about an outer periphery thereof, an elongate hopper positioned adjacent the drum, the hopper shaped to receive a hardenable paste and deposit the hardenable paste along a facing row of the plurality of transverse rows of mold cavities, a spool assembly for feeding a sheet of mesh material between the hopper and the facing row, and a retaining plate extending partially about the outer periphery of the drum and positioned on a downstream side of the elongate hopper, the retaining plate spaced sufficiently close to the outer periphery to retain the mesh material against the outer periphery of the drum and the hardenable paste within the mold cavities adjacent the retaining plate.

A concrete mat apparatus, includes a plurality of elongated concrete members, each member being aligned with and next to another concrete member. Each of the concrete members has an upper generally flat surface, a lower generally flat surface, and a plurality of inclined surfaces that each extend away from an upper or lower surface. Reinforcement extends from a first end portion of each concrete member to a second end portion thereof, the reinforcement including a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcement bars and a plurality of encircling tie bars at spaced apart intervals. Cabling connects each of the elongated concrete members to another of the elongated concrete members. The combination of elongated concrete members has a width and a length that is at least twice as long as the width. The upper inclined surfaces of one of the elongated concrete members forms a plane with the lower inclined surface of an adjacent elongated concrete member. A plurality of loops are provided along opposed edges of the mat, each loop formed by a portion of the cabling. The loops can be spaced between about one and three feet (30.5 and 91.4 cm) apart.

An erosion control mat provides a plurality of concrete blocks. Each block has an upper portion with a plurality of upper inclined side walls. Each block has a lower portion with a plurality of inclined lower side walls. The block has an upper surface and a lower surface and a block periphery in the form of an edge where the upper and lower side walls meet. Cables or ropes connect the blocks together to form a block matrix and the erosion control mat. Each block has a boot affixed to the block lower portion, the boot having a plurality of inclined side panels. Each boot side panel has an upper edge. The boot has a lower panel, a boot interior surface and an interior that is receptive of at least part of the block lower portion. The boot inclined side panels engage the block inclined lower side walls. The boot lower panel engages the block lower surface. A plurality of anchor posts are attached to the interior surface of the boot. Some of the anchor posts are attached to the side wall panels to enable a connection to be formed between the boot inclined side panels and the block inclined lower side walls. Some of the anchor posts are attached to the lower panel of the boot to enable a connection to be formed between the boot lower panel and the block lower surface. As part of the method, the boot is first placed in a mold. Slurried concrete is then added to the mold so that a connection is formed between the boot anchor posts and the concrete when the concrete sets after a time period.

An erosion control mat provides a plurality of concrete blocks. Each block has an upper portion with a plurality of upper inclined side walls. Each block has a lower portion with a plurality of inclined lower side walls. The block has an upper surface and a lower surface and a block periphery in the form of an edge where the upper and lower side walls meet. Cables or ropes connect the blocks together to form a block matrix and the erosion control mat. Each block has a boot affixed to the block lower portion, the boot having a plurality of inclined side panels. Each boot side panel has an upper edge. The boot has a lower panel, a boot interior surface and an interior that is receptive of at least part of the block lower portion. The boot inclined side panels engage the block inclined lower side walls. The boot lower panel engages the block lower surface. A plurality of anchor posts are attached to the interior surface of the boot. Some of the anchor posts are attached to the side wall panels to enable a connection to be formed between the boot inclined side panels and the block inclined lower side walls. Some of the anchor posts are attached to the lower panel of the boot to enable a connection to be formed between the boot lower panel and the block lower surface. As part of the method, the boot is first placed in a mould. Slurried concrete is then added to the mould so that a connection is formed between the boot anchor posts and the concrete when the concrete sets after a time period.