Geotextiles in Construction a complete guide you must know
Geotextiles are permeable and synthetic materials that are used to construct civil construction projects to improve the characteristics of soil. Geotextiles can make soils that are poor more suitable for construction because they are able to isolate, filter, strengthen soils, and protect them from erosion.
Geotextiles can be used in a variety of infrastructure tasks like roads and harbors, landfills drainage structures, and many other civil engineering projects.
Types of Geotextiles
Geotextiles are made of polymers, such as polypropylene or polyester. They can be classified into three types in accordance with their manufacturing processes they are:
- Woven fabric
- Nonwoven fabric
- Knitted fabric
Main Functions of Geotextiles
Geotextiles are commonly utilized to improve the soil’s characteristics prior to the construction of pipelines, embankments, roads or earth-retaining structure. Geotextiles can serve multiple purposes including drainage, filtration as well as cushioning, waterproofing, and separation.
Geotextile Separation
This is the principal reason that geotextiles are employed in construction. If a geotextile has been placed between two soils it can prevent the intermixing of soils when water is introduced into the layer of soil. In this way, the necessary soil characteristics will be maintained. By segregating subgrade soils that are fine from aggregates, as is the case with road construction, the geotextile retains its drainage characteristics and the strength in the material base.
They have particular properties of permeability and thickness to avoid soil contamination and permit water flow without damaging the structural quality. The most common applications of geotextiles include:
- Between the landfills and stones base courses
- Between base and subgrade roads that are unpaved or paved
- Between subgrade in railroads
- Between geomembranes and the sand drainage layers
Geotextile Filtration
Geotextiles’ properties for filtration are utilized in situations where there is a requirement for water to flow through both directions. These geotextiles may be nonwoven or woven and are utilized to stop fine aggregates being able to move between the soil layers.
The two most important characteristics of geotextiles involving infiltration are porosity as well as permeability. Based on these characteristics Geotextiles also aid in the flow of water in lateral directions and disperse the kinetic energy of the capillary rising of groundwater. Applications for this type of geotextile could be horizontal and vertical, helping in the solution of drainage issues on roads and other structures.
Geotextile Reinforcement
There are three main factors when it comes to designing geotextiles that improve soil properties:
- The geotextile is a barrier to movement or friction between the geotextiles and the soil
- Assisting any load in place
- Strengthening shear
