Abstract 
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in 
association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, 
reinforce, protect, or drain. 
Types of Geotextiles:‐ 
1) Woven Fabric Geotextile 
2)  Non‐Woven Geotextiles 
3)  Knitted Geotextiles 

Functions:-
1. Separation 

2. Filtration 

3. Reinforcement 

4. Sealing 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Contents: 
1. Introduction 
2. What is Geotextile 
3. Geotextile History 
4. Characteristics of Geotextiles 
5. Types of Geotextile 
6. Functions 
7. Advantages 
8. Disadvantages 
9. Uses 
10.Images 
                 11.Reference 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Introduction:‐ 
Geotextiles are permeable fabrics which, when used in association 
with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or 
drain. Typically made from polypropylene or polyester, geotextile 
fabrics come in three basic forms: woven (resembling mail bag 
sacking), needle punched (resembling felt), or heat bonded 
(resembling ironed felt). 
Geotextile composites have been introduced and products such 
as geogrids and meshes have been developed. Geotextiles are able 
to withstand many things, are durable, and are able to soften a fall 
if someone falls down. Overall, these materials are referred to 
as geosynthetics and each configuration—geonets, geosynthetic 
clay liners, geogrids, geotextile tubes, and others—can yield 
benefits in geotechnical and environmental engineering design. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Geotextile History:‐ 
 
Geotextiles were originally intended to be an alternative to 
granular soil filters. The original, and still sometimes used, term for 
geotextiles is filter fabrics. Work originally began in the 1950s with 
R.J. Barrett using geotextiles behind precast concrete seawalls, 
under precast concrete erosion control blocks, beneath large stone 
riprap, and in other erosion control situations.[2] He used different 
styles of woven monofilament fabrics, all characterized by a 
relatively high percentage open area (varying from 6 to 30%). He 
discussed the need for both adequate permeability and soil 
retention, along with adequate fabric strength and proper 
elongation and set the tone for geotextile use 
in filtration situations. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Characteristics of Geotextiles:-
1. Physical properties: 
specific gravity 
ƒ

ƒ weight 

ƒ thickness 

ƒ stiffness 

ƒ density . 

2. Mechanical properties: 
tenacity 
ƒ

ƒ tensile strength 

ƒ bursting strength 

ƒ drapability 

ƒ compatibility 

ƒ flexibility 

ƒ tearing strength 

ƒ frictional resistance 

3. Hydraulic properties: 
ƒ porosity 
ƒ permeability 
ƒ permittivity 
ƒ transitivity 
ƒ turbidity /soil retention 
ƒ filtration length etc. 
 
 
 
 
Characteristics of Geotextiles:-
 
4. Degradation properties: 
biodegradation 
ƒ

ƒ hydrolytic degradation 

ƒ photo degradation 

ƒ chemical degradation 

ƒ mechanical degradation 

ƒ other  degradation  occurring  due  to  attack  of  rodent,  termite 

etc. 
5. Endurance properties: 
ƒ elongation 
ƒ abrasion resistance 
ƒ clogging length and flow etc 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Types of Geotextiles:‐ 
Geotextiles are made up of polymers such as polyester or 
polypropylene. They are divided into 3 categories on the basis of 
the way they are prepared : 
 
 
1) Woven Fabric Geotextiles 
2) Non‐Woven Geotextiles 
3) Knitted Geotextiles 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
1. Woven Fabric Geotextile 
Commonly found geotextiles are of the woven type and are
manufactured by adopting the techniques which are similar to
weaving usual clothing textiles. This type has the characteristic
appearance of two sets of parallel threads or yarns. The yarn running
along the length is called warp and the one perpendicular is called
weft.
(As shown in the figure below)

 
 
 
 
 
  
2. Non‐Woven Geotextile 
Non-woven geotextiles are manufactured from either continuous
filament yarn or short staple fiber. The bonding of fibers is done
using thermal, chemical or mechanical techniques or a combination
of techniques.
Geo-fibers obtained from mechanical interlocking or chemical or
thermal bonding have a thickness of 0.5-1 mm while chemically
bonded non-wovens are comparatively thick usually in the order of
3 mm.

 
 
 
 
  
3. Knitted Geotextile 
Knitted geotextiles are manufactured by the process of interlocking
a series of loops of yarn together. All of the knitted geosynthetics
are formed by using the knitting technique in conjunction with some
other method of geosynthetics manufacture, such as weaving.
Apart from these three geotextiles, other geosynthetics used are
geonets, geogrids, geo-cells, geomembranes, geocomposites, etc.
each having their own distinct features and uses for special
applications.

 
 
 
 
 
Functions:-
The mode of operation of a geotextile in any application is defined
by six discrete functions :

 
1. Separation 
The separation function of geotextile is majorly used in the 
construction of roads. Geotextile prevents the intermixing of two 
adjacent soils. 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.

Some of the applicable areas are: 

o Between subgrade and stone base in unpaved and paved 
roads and airfields. 
o Between subgrade in railroads. 
o Between landfills and stone base courses. 
o Between geomembranes and sand drainage layers. 
2. Filtration 
The equilibrium of geotextile-to-soil system that allows for adequate
liquid flow with limited soil loss across the plane of the geotextile.
Porosity and permeability are the major properties of geotextiles
which involve infiltration action.

3. Reinforcement 
Introduction of geotextile in the soil increases the tensile strength 
of the soil the same amount steel does in concrete. The strength 
gain in soil due to the introduction of geotextile is by the following 
3 mechanisms : 

o Lateral restraint through interfacial friction between geotextile 
and soil/aggregate. 
o Forcing the potential bearing surface failure plane to develop 
an alternate higher shear strength surface. 
 
4. Sealing 
A layer of non‐woven geotextile is impregnated in between existing 
and new asphalt layers. The geotextile absorbs asphalt to become a 
waterproofing membrane minimizing vertical flow of water into the 
pavement structure. 

Membrane type of support of the wheel loads 
 
 
Advantages of Geotextiles:-
1. Strength-for-strength, they are lighter than
woven geotextiles using the same yarn.This makes for easier
handling and laying on site; thus transport and labour costs are
less in real terms.
2. Knitted geotextiles have exceptional tear strength. Additional
strength can be designed and built-in to the weft direction such
that a bi-axial high tensile, high strength warp/weft geotextile
becomes a reality; e.g. 500kNm warp and 500k Nm weft.
3. Knitted geotextiles can incorporate an additional fabric to form a
true composite geotextile, the fabric being simply knitted-in.
4. The individual yarns in the warp knitted weft-insertion geotextile
are straight when incorporated, so they are able to take-up the
strain immediately on loading.
5. Hot resistant.
6. UV resistant
7. Increases the life of road.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disadvantages of Geotextiles:
1. Plastic result in 100% runoff which may cause serious erosion 
problem in the areas receiving the increase flow. 
2.  Geotextile and Mat may delay seed germination due to 
reduction in soil temperature. 
3. Cannot operate if moisture of soil above 10%. 
4. It requires extra labour. 
5. Crack may form in soil cement. 
6. Frequent maintenance required. 
7. It can’t be used for construction of bridges, building, and dams 
and so on. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Uses  of geotextiles:‐ 
1. Road Work 
Geotextiles are widely used in the construction of the road. It reinforces the soil by adding 
tensile strength to it. It is used as a rapid de‐watering layer in the roadbed, the geotextiles 
need to preserve its permeability without losing its separating functions. 

2. Railway Works 
The woven fabrics or the non-woven ones are used to separate the soil from the sub-soil
without impeding the groundwater circulation where the ground is unstable. Enveloping
individual layers with fabric prevents the material from wandering off sideways due to shocks
and vibrations from running trains.

3. Agriculture 
It is used for mud control. For the improvement of muddy paths and trails those used by cattle
or light traffic, nonwoven fabrics are used and are folded by overlapping to include the pipe or
a mass of grit.

4. Drainage 
The use of geotextiles to filter the soil and a more or less single size granular material to 
transport water is increasingly seen as a technically and commercially viable alternative to 
the conventional systems. Geotextiles perform the filtering mechanism for drainages in earth 
dams, in roads and highways, in reservoirs, behind retaining walls, deep drainage trenches, 
and agriculture. 

 
 
 
 
Images of Ge
eotexttiles 

 
Images of Geotextiles 
 

 
 

 
 
 Images of Geotextiles 

 
 
 

 
 
Geotextiles used NH‐ 149 Project 
 
 
Images of Geotextiles 
 
 

NH‐ 149 project  
 
 
  
References: 

• Wikipedia 

• Barrett, R. J., "Use of Plastic Filters in Coastal Structures

• Study.com