Professional Documents
Culture Documents
II. INTRODUCTION
A. Project Brief
The project consists of laboratory test programs to determine the effects of geotextile
on the permeability of coarse grain soil based on its grain size distribution. This can
study can also be a alternative procedure for determining the permeability of various
geotextile.
B. RATIONALE
In structures like, earth dams, dikes, retaining walls and other earth retaining structures,
water are inevitable flowing through the structures during its utilization. The design of
the structure should anticipate the effect of such flow on the stability of the structures.
Flow is not prohibited, rather directed and permitted so as not to create additional
loads. Water flowing towards a retaining structures must be able to penetrate easily
and quickly so as not to build up excess hydrostatic pressure and at the same time water
carries fine particles from the adjacent soil resulting to gradual loss of fine materials(soil
piping), increase flow rates, unstable soil voids on the upstream and leads to a small
sinkhole.
Filters are used to control the flow water and prevents fine particles being conveyed by
the flowing water. Filters must let the water flow rapidly and must not permit fine
particles that could clog the drain that may cause erosion or cavitation in the areas
surrounding the drain.
Gravel, sand or sand blended gravel are typically used as filtration material during the
early days of construction. Gravel and sand are considered coarse-grained soil with
particle size ranging from 0.075mm to 75mm and must have more than 50% retained
on the No. 200 sieve (0.075mm opening). Coarse grained soil exhibit higher void ratio
that fine grained soil thus making water flows easily and quickly.
Various criterion have been established base on the ratio of particle size of the filter soil
and the surrounding or natural soil for both quick and easy flow and the for prevention
of fine particles from migrating to the filter material.
This condition of filter material using coarse grained soil is very difficult to achieve in
the construction of the various earth retaining structures.
The filtering functions accomplished by applying coarse grained soil can also be achieved
using geosynthetics particularly geotextiles.
Geotextiles are one of the eight major types of geosynthetics. Geotextiles are indeed a
geotextiles in traditional sense but mostly composed of synthetic fibers (polyester,
polypropylene) rather than the natural ones such as cotton, wool or silk. The synthetic
fibers are made into flexible, porous fabrics by standard weaving or matted together in
random nonwoven manner (needle punched or heat bonded). The major point of
geotextiles are porous( to allow liquid to flow), flexible (to be installed rapidly) and non-
biodegradeble (long lifetime construction service).
The geotextile function of filtration involves the movement of liquid on the machine
direction surface of the geotextile itself and the retaining of soil on the upstream side of
the retaining structures. Also, long-term soil to geotextile flow compatibility that will
not excessively clog during the service life of the system.
Indeed, the use of geotextile as filtration material results to better, faster and more
advantageous than using granular materials (sand or gravel).
This study will focus on the effects of geotextile on the permeability of coarse grained
soil in relation to its effective size and other particle size related properties. Non-woven
geotextile will be use in this study and made up of polypropylene. Retention capabilities and
long long term capability of geotextile on filtration functions are not included in this study.
Physical and mechanical properties of non- woven type geotextile will be based on the technical
data that to be provided by the manufacturer.
VI. Methodology
VII. Variables:
Water Outlet
Coarse grain
Geotextile
soil
Screen Filter
Geotextile
Water Inlet
Schematic Presentation of Permeability Test of Coarse-Grained Soil with Geotextile on Different Location