GEO TEXTILES

ABSTRACT:

Geotextiles have been used very successfully in road construction for over 30
years. Their primary function is to separate the sub base from the subgrade resulting in a
stronger road construction. The geotextile performs this function by providing a dense
mass of fibers at the interface of the two layers. It is suggested that the ability of a
geotextile to act as a separator is largely independent of the mechanical characteristic of
the geotextile and that strain softening geotextiles can still perform this role when
strained past their peak values. A strain energy approach to design is not routine in
geotechnical engineering design, as it is difficult to quantify the external energy supplied
to the system and the internal energies of the individual components making up the
construction. Recent research has suggested that an equivalence of strain energy, between
different geotextile types, may exist up to the in service strain. Comparing the actual
strain energy and that calculated using a simplified approach shows that significant errors
are introduced by firstly ignoring the nonlinear characteristics of the stress-strain curve
and secondly by not considering the entire area under the stress-strain curve to rupture of
the geotextile. Based on the difficultly in using the strain energy approach in geotechnical
engineering design and the significant inconsistencies that can exist in its calculation, it is
suggested that the concept of strain energy is not an appropriate parameter for
characterising geotextiles.

INTRODUCTION:
 Geotextiles have proven to be among the most versatile and cost-effective ground
modification materials. Their use has expanded rapidly into nearly all areas of civil,
geotechnical, environmental, coastal, and hydraulic engineering. They form the major
component of the field of geosynthetics, the others being geogrids, geomembranes and
geocomposites. The ASTM defines geotextiles as permeable textile materials used in
contact with soil, rock, earth or any other geotechnical related material as an integral part
of civil engineering project, structure, or system. Based on their structure and the
manufacturing technique, geotextiles may be broadly classified into woven and
nonwoven. Woven geotextiles are manufactured by the interlacement of warp and weft
yarns, which may be of spun, multifilament, fibrillated or of slit film. Nonwoven
geotextiles are manufactured through a process of mechanical interlocking or thermal
bonding of fibers/filaments.

Mechanical interlocking of the fibers/filaments is achieved through a process

called “needle punching”. Needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles are best suited for a
wide variety of civil engineering applications and are the most widely used type of
geotextile in the world. Interlocking of the fibers/filaments could also be achieved
through “thermal bonding”. Heat-bonded geotextiles should be used with caution, as they
are not suitable for filtration applications or road stabilization applications over soft soils.

RAW MATERIAL OF GEOTEXTILE:

The four main polymer families most widely used as the raw material for geotextiles are:

1. Polyester
2. Polyamide
3. Polypropylene
4. Polyethylene

The oldest of these is polyethylene, which was discovered in 1931 in the research
laboratories of the ICI. Another group of polymers with a long production history is the
polyamide family, the first of which was discovered in 1935.The next oldest of the four
main polymer families relevant to geotextile manufacture is polyester which was first
announced in 1941.The most recent polymer family relevant to geotextiles to be
developed was polypropylene, which was discovered in 1954. The comparative
properties of these four polymer are shown in very general items in Table

Polyester Polyamide Polypropylene Polyethylene

Strength H M L L

Elastic modulus H M L L

Strain at failure M M H H

Creep L M H H

Unit weight H M L L

Cost H M L L

Resistance to:

U.V. light H M H H
stabilized

unstabilized H M M L

Alkalis L H H H

Fungus, vermin M M M H

Fuel M M L L

Detergents H H H H

H: High; M: Medium; L: Low

THE BASIC PROPERTIES OF GEOTEXTILE:

The properties of polymer material are affected by its average molecular weight (MW )
and its statistical distribution. Increasing the average MW results in increasing:

• tensile strength

• elongation

• impact strength

• stress crack resistance

• heat resistance

TYPES OF GEO TEXTILES:

• woven geo-textiles
• Non-woven geo-textiles
• Knitted geo-textiles

Geo Textiles are the largest group of geo synthetics in terms of volume and are used
in geo technical engineering, heavy construction, building and pavement construction,
hydrogeology, environment engineering.

WOVEN GEO-TEXTILES

A fabric or synthetic material placed between the soil and a pipe, gabion or
retaining wall; to enhance water movement and retard soil movement and act as a blanket
to add reinforcement and separation.” Coastal works, water ways, embankments and in
forming. Geocell for road
 Woven geo-textiles on concrete basis

NON-WOVEN GEO-TEXTILES

Filtration, drainage, reinforcement between soil stone or aggregate and in roads,

railways works, erosion prevention and separation. As filter fabric for dams, under
drainage system liners for pile foundation, coated PVC and bitumens to skin traction.

Non-woven geo-textiles in filtration

KNITTED GEO-TEXTILES

Knitted bags for protection of dam’s riverbank etc. Warp knitted fabric of
Kevlar yarns used in automobile and marine application. It is also used with foundations,
soil, rock, earth or any other related material as an integral part of human man made
project, structure or system.

Reinforcement knitted geo-textiles

• reinforcement and separation

• reinforcement and anti-contaminating
• reinforcement and filtration

FUNCTIONS OF GEOTEXTILE:

The mode of operation of a geotextile in any application is defined by six discrete

functions:

• Separation
• Filtration
• Drainage
• Reinforcement
• Sealing
• Protection.

Depending on the application the geotextile performs one or more of these functions
simultaneously. The protection function is not discussed here as it is not related to
transportation applications.
SEPARATION:

Separation is defined as, “The introduction of a flexible porous textile placed between
dissimilar materials so that the integrity and the functioning of both the materials can
remain intact or be improved”. In transportation applications separation refers to the
geotextile’s role in preventing the intermixing of two adjacent soils.

Geotextile installed as separation beneath roadbed.

For example, by separating fine subgrade soil from the aggregates of the base course, the
geotextile preserves the drainage and the strength characteristics of the aggregate
material.

FILTRATION:

It is defined as “the equilibrium geotextile-to-soil system that allows for adequate liquid
flow with limited soil loss across the plane of the geotextile over a service lifetime
compatible with the application under consideration . To perform this function the
geotextile needs to satisfy two conflicting requirements: the filter’s pore size must be
small enough to retain fine soil particles while the geotextile should permit relatively
unimpeded flow of water into the drainage media. A common application illustrating the
filtration function is the use of a geotextile in a pavement edge drain.
 Edge Drain wrapped with Geotextile

REINFORCEMENT

In this method, the structural stability of the soil is greatly improved by the tensile
strength of the geosynthetic material. This concept is similar to that of reinforcing
concrete with steel. Since concrete is weak in tension, reinforcing steel is used to
strengthen it. Geosynthetic materials function in a similar manner as the reinforcing steel
by providing tensile strength that helps to hold the soil in place. Reinforcement provided
by geotextiles or geogrids allows embankments and roads to be built over very weak soils
and allows for steeper embankments to be built.

Soil Reinforcement of an Embankment using a Geosynthetic.

DRAINAGE

Although filtering applications are commonly referred to as drainage applications, they

are different. Drainage applications refer to situations where the water flows within the
plane of the geosynthetic product (in-plane drainage). In filtration applications, the water
flows across the plane of the material.

Although certain types of geotextiles provide some in-plane drainage, most drainage
situations require a geo-composite drainage product such as prefabricated sheet drains
that provide a much greater drainage capacity.

Diagram showing the basic layout of a vertical sand filter with drainage

The filter bed should consist of the following elements:

• 20cm of top soil

• Layer of geotextile
• Drainage pipes bedded in the upper half of a 20cm layer of 10/40 aggregate (non
calcaire - limestone)
• 70cm layer of sand
• Another layer of geotextile
• Drainage pipes bedded in the lower half of a 20cm layer of 10/40 aggregate (non
calcaire - limestone)
• All surrounded by a non permeable film.
SEALINGS

A nonwoven geotextile performs this function when impregnated with asphalt or

other polymeric mixes rendering it relatively impermeable to both cross-plane and in-
plane flow. The classic application of a geotextile as a liquid barrier is paved road
rehabilitation. Here the nonwoven geotextile is placed on the existing pavement surface
following the application of an asphalt tack coat. The geotextile absorbs asphalt to
become a aterproofing membrane minimizing vertical flow of water into the pavement
structure.

HDPE- High Density Polyethylene Liners

HDPE is the most widely used geomembrane today. It has been the choice of many for
large critical containment applications.

• Resistant to a wide range of chemicals on account of density >.94/cm3

• Reliable in exposed environment due to high UV protection against degrading and
low temperature brittleness

PROTECTION

stream bed is the channel bottom of a stream, river or creek; the physical confine of the
normal water flow. The lateral confines or channel margins, during all but flood stage, are
known as the stream banks or river banks. In fact, a flood occurs when a stream
overflows its banks and flows onto its flood plain. As a general rule, the bed is that part
of the channel, just at the "normal" water line and the banks are that part above the water
line.
 However, because water flow varies, this differentiation is subject to local
interpretation. Usually, the bed is kept clear of terrestrial vegetation, whereas the banks
are subjected to water flow only during unusual or perhaps infrequent high water stages
and therefore, might support vegetation some or much of the time.

GEOTEXTILE REQUIREMENT:

Selecting a geotextile for paved road depends upon the geotextile survivability. If
a roadway system is designed correctly, then the stress at the top of the subgrade due to
the weight of the aggregate and the traffic load is less than the bearing capacity of the
subgrade plus a safety factor. However the stresses applied to the subgrade and the
geotextile during the construction is much greater than that applied during service.
Therefore, selection of the geotextile in roadway applications is usually governed by the
anticipated construction stresses. The geotextile must survive the construction operations
if it is to perform the intended function of separation and filtration.

These survivability requirements are based on properties of geotextiles, which

have performed satisfactorily. Judgment and experience our required to select final
specification values. For large projects geotextile survivability should be verified by
conducting field tests under sitespecific conditions. The selected geotextile must also
retain underlying soil fines, while allowing a relatively unimpeded flow of water. Hence
the geotextile Opening size and Permeability should be ascertained to match the site
requirements.

CONCLUSION:
Geotextiles are effective tools in the hands of the civil engineer that have proved
to solve a myriad of geotechnical problems. With the availability of variety of products
with differing characteristics, the design engineer needs to be aware of not only the
application possibilities but also more specifically the reason why he is using the
geotextile and the governing geotextile functional properties to satisfy these functions.
Design and selection of geotextiles based on sound engineering principles will serve the
long-term interest of both the user and the industry.

REFERENCES:

1. Robert M. Koerner ‘Designing with Geosynthetics’, 1998

2. http://www.drexel.edu/gri/gmat.html

3. John N.W. M ‘ Geotextile ‘, 1987

4. TANFEL Advertisement report 1990

5. http://www.geofabrics.com.au/bidim.htm#filtration

6. http://www.geofabrics.com.au/bidim.htm#embankment

7. http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/aex-fact/0304.html

8. http://www.acf-environ.com/stabprod.html

9. http://www.cofra.com/typar.html

10. www.multigeo.com

11. www.jute-industry.com/jute-textiles/geo-textiles.html

12. N. W. M. John - Technology & Engineering – 1987 “Geotextiles”