GEO-SYNTHETICS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING (A Reader) by AJAY K DUGGAL Civil Engineering Department, National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training & Research, Sector-26 Chandigarh. (Estd. by MRD, Gon (Reprint : Nov . 2015)GEOTEXTILES : APPL ATIONS IN SOIL ENGINEERING by Ajay K Duggal CONTENT 1. Introduction 2. Developments in India 3. Functions 4. General Applications . Specific areas of Application 5.1 Reinforcement 5.2 Bearing Capacity improvement 5-3 Erosion Control! i 3.4 Geotextiles in Highway Engineering 6. Natural Materials Manufacture Properties of Geotextiles Geotextile Testing Summary Appendix~1. Geosynthetic applications at a Glance. References Geosynthetic Applications *Ajay K Duggal is Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering at NITTTR Chandigarh.1. INTRODUCTION Geotextiles and the related materials are synthetic materials i i ions in : being increasingly used for numerous applications | foundations and earth retaining structures. Three basis reasons for their use are: ~ Good alternative to conventional design - Sometimes the only means of construction - | Amenable to rapid installation a geotextile is any permeable textile material used with ‘foundation soil, rock, earth. or any other geotechnical matérial, The me negra ‘part of a man-made project, structure or system, ane [term Geotextile is currently being applied to many related paterials. To accommodate the increased scope, the tern sgeosynthetics’ is used which includes geotextiles, geonembranes, geo-grids, geocomposites and all other similar waterials used to improve or modify soil/rock behavior. ,Geonenbrane’ is \continuous membrane type liner and barrier i ‘lymeric or combination thereof materials with sufficiently low permeability so as te corer fluid migration. ae iecgria’ is any synthetic planar structure formed by a regular Retwork of textile elements to allow interlocking wien Surrounding soil, rock, earth or any geotechnical material, hen Geosrid/geotextiles/geomenbranes are combined vith Geotextiles or Geogrid, they are designated as Geocomposites a DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIA Gompared to the change in developed countries the production and taken oy Zeotextile in India is quite limited. The initiative ees Faken by Central Board of Irrigation and Power in 1985 when mecn national and regional workshop on Geosynthetics Cone organised.since then many national and regional Horkshops/programmes have been organised to create awareness ned Promote the usage of geosynthetics for civil Engineering Application. Due to limited usage and production, the materini te cerpavailable at competitive rates. Geosynthetics have been used efficiently and economically in a number of projects,3. FUNCTIONS Geotextilés serve the following basic functions: Bul Drainage : Liquid is collected and passed through the plane of geotextile. (Fig. 1) 3.2 Filteration : Liquid is allowed to pass through normal to the plane of geotextile while preventing most of the soil particles to be carried away. ( Pig. 2) 3.8 Separation : Fine and coarse grained materials are not allowed to mingle when separated by a geotextile.(Fig.3) 3.4 Enxatection| "A geotextile protects a material when it alleviates or distributes stresses and strains transmitted to the protected material - Surface protection as in erosion control (Fig. 4) - As tensioned membrane when placed between two materials with different pressures - As tensile member in a reinforced soil structure. (Fig.6) 4. GENERAL APPLICATIONS>~ Geosynthetics have numerous applications in civil Engineering Some of areas where they are generally used are briefly discussed below : 4.1 Internal Reinforcement-Retaining walls Geotextile and Geogrid provide internal reinforcement of soil mass which creates a stable fill area behind wall face. This serves an alternative to conventional gravity or cantilever retaining walls. In retaining walls, use of geosynthetics reduces the concrete quantity and may result in material and time saving. (Fig. 6) 4.2 Steep Slope Reinforcement With use of Geogrid and geotextile it is possible to construct slopes with steeper face angles. This results in savings of land area which is important in a number of locations. (Fig. 10)4.3 Reinforced Embankments over soft soils If the foundation soil is too weak to permit the construction of embankment of required height, geosynthetic reinforced embankments provide the solution. Geosynthetic material is placed on the foundation soil and the construction of embankment is done in conventional manner. (Fig. 11) 4-4 Subarade Stablization: Geosynthetics can be used to obtain desirable strength, filtration ana drainage characteristics of subgrades- 4.5 Subsurface drainage: In a number of locations where quick drainage of water without disrupting the soil mass is necessary, geosynthetics are of immense use. Generally required for highway at critical locations, athletic and sports grounds, parking lots, shorelines etc. (Fig.14 ) 4.6 Erosion Control: Geotexti}es in lieu of conventional grade aggregate filter is used for prevention of erosion of soil through the layer of rip-rap. The geotextile used should have sufficient permeability to Permit the passage of water and prevent build up of hydrostatic pressure behind the rip-rap layer. Secondly the geotextile retains the soil particles under rip-rap. (Fig. 12) SPECIFIC AREAS OF APPLICATION 7 aay Seotextiles in Reinforcement Whenever dealing with weak foundation soils, the geotechnical engineer has two options: to improve the Soil or change the site of construction. The second alternative is not feasible in large number of cases. Use of geotextiles induces reinforcement effect in t” soils. The basic principle of soil reinforcement . that when an oriented reinforcement is included in the soil, a higher shear strength is developed. Many problems in the construction of embankments and retaining walls can be solved with the use of geosynthetics. 5.1.4 Embanknents: Embankments constructed on weaker soil may punch into it and settle considerably. The introduction of one layer of geotextile at the base of embankment provides the solution. The effect of reinforcement is two fold (1) to reduce the stresses causing and (ii) to increase stresses resisting failure. The reinforcementin term of geosynthetics is determined by analysis for the stability reinforced embankments in five modes of failure: (i) Bearing capacity failure (ii) Sliding failure (iii) Spreading failure (iv) Foundation soil squeezing failure and (v) Rotational failure. Reinforced walls: In reinforced walls, the reinforcement is distributed throughout the structure. (Pig. 9) When the distribution of reinforcement has certain degree of regularity, it may be possible to treat the total mass as an equivalent continuous; though maximum tensile strength is demonstrated in the direction of reinforcement. Reinforced soil structures may provide cost effective alternatives for either conventional sloped embankments or gravity walls. R.C. cantilever walls are used, when (4) right of way is restricted, (ii) foundation conditions are weak, (iii) height of wall is more. Bearing Capacity Improvement The allowable bearing pressure of soil strata depends on the ultimate bearing capacity as well as the permissible settlement of the footing. To restrict the settlement to be within the permissible limits, often it is required to reduce the bearing pressure’on the sub soil. If the footings are widely spaced it is Possible to reduce to some extent the bearing pressure by increasing the size of the footing. However if the footings are closely spaced and the soil is very weak, then the size of the footing required may be so large as to necessitate a combined footing or a raft foundation. Using reinforced soil can serve as an effective alternative to the conventional ground improvement techniques. Reinforced soil bed contains horizontally embedded geosynthetics, such as flat metal strips, rods, ties or grids. Because the reinforcing action requires good frictional bonding between the reinforcement and the soil, granular soils are usually specified. Due to high economy, flexiblility ana ease in construction, bearing capacity improvement of soft subsoils by this method is widely practiced, even though reliable and simple method of analysis and design are not standardized. Mechanism: The reinforced soil technique concept is essentially based on the mobilization of the interracial shearing resistance between the soil and reinforcement which in turn restrains the lateral deformation of the soil. Soil below footing consists of three zones(Fig 7) Zone I is the active Rankine zone which moves downwards and displaces the radial prandtl zone (Zone-II) in a lateral direction and the passive Rankine Zone (ZoneIII) in upwarddirection. In case of reinforced soil, the above possible failure surface is intercepted by the horizontally placed reinforcements. therefore, for the jateral movement of zone-II to " occur soil in that zone has to overcome the frictional resistance at the soil-reinforcement interface. Thus the effect of the reinforcement is to check the lateral flow of soil beneath the footing by introducing lateral confinement. euanoment of Reinforcement: The reinforcement should be such that it improves the stiffness and load carrying capacity of the soil. Ideally the reinforcesme is placed in accordance with the direction we the principle strain. The ideal and practical placesent of reinforcement is indicated in Fig. 8. Erosion Control zegkion’ of soil due to flowing water poses severe Stability and ecological problems. Seepaye forces in reeeaeaGoTth dams and other hydraulic structarce necessitate protection méasures. Traditional protection Boks consist pitching by using stone or concrete block force ney Material to dissipate energy of hydreniin force and using a graded filter betwoon underlying soil and such highly permeable armour. On hill slopes and peoBes Of embankment the natural rainfall erofesy can be a major problem. Natural vegetation is oo effective fyocasuneer a ceresion. Us. gf bicdsgvadabio cee Rygroscopic materials like jute and ois tee been Neches itliy made on several erosion prone slopes. Meshes or Nets made of these materials’ ant anchored i il erosion. simultaneously OF eee over is developed as a long range mescus’, of protection, @ manufactured from synthetic faterials like polypropylene are also used’ to protect fhe Slopes from erosion from wind surface reo off and pugsh floods. protection of river banks end other pydraulic structures against soil erosion is also done by using geosynthetics.5-4 Geotextiles in Highway Engineering Zhe primary functions of the geotextiles Engineering applications are: filtration, and drainage. geotextiles can have a wide Engineering, Highway Enginee: in various civil Separation, reinforcement, Based on these primary functions, range of applications in Geotechnical ring and Enviromental activities. In the field of Highway Engineering geo spread applications as me textiles have found wide ntioned below: (4) as separator betwee: nthe layer of subbas: sub-grade soil, @ of base and the in case of pavements; ii) separator’ between old and new pavement layers in case of overlay construction; idi) reinforcement between the subgrade and sub-base; iv) reinforcement element in reinforced earthfijl; v) as filter in drainage structures; vi) drainage of earthfill, backfill and pavements; vii) control of erosion of slopes of highway fills as well as natural slopes. Geotextiles also enable construction work particularly on soils ghee, dow, pearing capacity, to be carried out withoue aoite difficulties associated with such soils, for example: serseruction machinery can move about easily. ‘wastage of meee Ste fapninimised since loss due to contaminations is prevented Savantumbroved durability of structures is thus an indies advantage. coir coir resi requ geot agai coir soil and help gute Jute fabr attr biod AreS. NATURAL MATERIALS coir Geotextiles coir- the conconut fibre is a 100% organic fibre. It is naturally zesistant to rot, moulds and moisture No chemical treatment is required. Coir fibre is hard and strong and biogradable. Coir geotextile have high strength and lifetime to protect slopes against erosion and help natural vegetation to take root. When coir geotextile eventually disintegrates, it mingles with natural soil. Coir getextile netting breaks up run off from heavy rains and dissipate the energy of flowing water. Coir absorbs water and helps preventing the top soil from drying out. Jute Geotextiles Jute is grown in large quantity in India. It can be converted to fabric both by woven and non-woven process. Its cheapness make it attractive for geotechnical applications. Major draw back is its biodegradability. Areas of application i) for separation, filtration and even reinforcement wher required life span is short ; ii) erosion control. Geotextiles made from natural materials are excellent for environmental protection works involving soil erosion control. Since their colour and texture match with natural soil, they easily become part of natural formation.7. Manufacture te) Manufacturing Process involves two steps * making fibers and yarns from polymer chips * Combining these to make planer structure Sub division of Geotextiles * woven, Non woven and knitted a Woven - weaving techniques, planer structure is formed Non woven - Fiber:first laid én moving conveyor belt to form loose web and then bonded together Bonding methods ~ mechanical, thermal or chemical constituent Materials * Mainly synthetic polymers fe) * Some special types incorporate steel wire, natural biodegradable fibres synthetic polymers * Polyester * polyamide * Polypropylene * Polyethylene ‘ 7 a2 8. Properties of Geotextiles en : : - : . Fol The important properties of geotextiles required for "4 reinforcement function are listed below: (a) Basic Physical properties 38 Constituent material a Mass per unit area BAA) ¢ ‘Thickness =. Roll width and length : . Ba () Mechanical properties . : . B12 Tensile strength Seam strength Interface friction . Fatigue resistance creep Resistance(e) Hydraulic properties Opening Size Permittivity Transmittivity (a) Constructabilitv/survivability properties Burst resistance Puncture resistance Tear strength fe) Durability Abrasion resistance Ultra-violet stability Temperature stability Resistance to wet and dry cycles Some of these are briefly explained below: Z1l of these are not important for every application. the wepiseage Of these properties is required for oaePicatic of the following purpose: 3) To select suitable requirement 3i) To. lay down specifications of a product for particular application. 11) Comparison between products for selection. Av ) Quality control during production and installation. ©.1 Basic Physical Properties S-1.1 Mass per unit area - Necessary for quality control, yechanical properties are directly related to ic. Range - 135 to 680g/m2 108-1.2 Thickness - determined at pressure of 2 kPa. Thickness varies from 0.25 to 7.5 mm 8 -1.3 Roll width and length Maximum standard width 5 to 5.5m; length 50-200m 8-2 Mechanical Properties 8.2.1 Tensile strength Internal stability of a reinforced earth structure is guided by two criteria : tensile failure of reinforcement and adhesioi failure 8.2.1 Types of tensile strength and tests: Traditionally,textiles are evaluated in tension using narrow strips 25 to 50 wide with high rate of strain. Other tests like biaxial tensile test, cylindrical sleeve test are also done.’ Wide width tensile test is more common. Variations also occur in form of clamping methods. Three methods viz. mechanical wedge, encapsulation in epoxy and capstan or roller grips. Based on these conditions the tests are termed as : * Narrow strip tensile test * Grab Tensile Test * Wide width tensile test 8.2.1.1 (a)Seam strength -important from construction point of view ‘as seaming (jointing) is usually done in field. 8.2.2 Soil Fabric Friction (or Interface friction) used to determine the bond length of geotextile needed. This determines forces available to resist lateral pressures. The soil parameters that affect this property are shear strength characteristics, dilatancy, relative density, overburden pressure and fine grained portion of the soil. The geometry, structural aspects, extensibility, creep and orientation’ of geosynthetic are the parameters of geosynthetic that influence this property. Two types of tests are done * Modified direct shear test * Pull out test In modified direct shear test the fabric is secured between soil and shear test in carried out. In pull out test, a strip is placed between two halves of direct shear box filled'with soil. The force required to pullout the geotextile is obtained. Et 8.2 cre loa Res! by i lab cyl:8.2.3 Creep. Resistance Creep is the process by which dimensions of a material under load change with time. a Extent of creep depends upon construction (non woven, woven, type of weave etc.) material (polymer) specific load ~ temperature time Hee 2.2.4 Fatigue Resistance 8-3 Survivability/constructability Characteristics The ability of a geotextile to survive the stresses during construction, installation and in service depends upon engineering characteristics of the fabric as well as the direct environment in which placed. : 8.3.1 Burst Resistance Resistance to rupture due to pressure applied normal to the plane ef the fabric. Bursting results from biaxial failure. In ieboratory it is determined by pushing a ball or plunger through = securely held fabric. 8.3.2 Puncture Resistance Resistance to fail from load applied over a relatively small area Sy a blunt object... It determines resistance against puncturing Sy sharp stone, tree stumps, roots and miscellaneous debris. In iaboratory it is determined by penetrating 8 mm dia solid steel cylinder or semi-spherical cylinder. 8.3.3 Penetration resistance zt is the resistance of a fabric to penetration by a sharp pointed object, with initial separation from fibre and further Penetration from tearing. It is determined by the size of hole caused by dropping a cone of standard weight. 8.3.4 Tear Strength z x if a geotextile is damaged, it is important that the material does not continue to tear. ‘The tear strengtrh test measures the resistance of a fabric to propagation of a tear in it. 129. Geotextile Testing : Type a) of Testing Soil Testing : Engg. properties of soil to be used i determined to identify desirable properties of the geotextil including chemical properties. di) In-isolation tests ~ only geotextile is tested iii) In soil tests - Tests carried out with geotextile confined in soil. iv) Prototype tests - Large scale lab or field tests. SUMMARY Geosynthetics are the artificial material. The use of which is gradually increasing the world over. These materials are available in various shapes, sizg and material to suit the requirements. With their aid the soil properties like drainage, strength can be-modified to provide solution for various civil engineering problems. Yet due to absence of the standardized data, their use in India by various govt. agencies is limited. However geosynthetics have been successfully used in many projects in India and their applications and acceptance is increasing. 13Gesynthetic Applications at aglance Application Sabgrade Stabilization Railroad Trackbed Stabilization Sedimentation Control Silt Fence Asphalt Overlay Soil Reinforcement * Embankments * Steep Slopes * Vertical Walls Errosion Control Filter Subsurface Drainage Filter Geomembrane Protection Primary Function Separation/Reinforce- ment/Filtration Drainage/Separation/ Filtration Sediment Retention Filtration Strees Relieving Layer /Waterproof ing Reinforcement Reinforcement Reinforcement Filtration Separation Filtration Protection/cushion Products Geotextile/Geogrid Geotextile/Geogrid Geotextile Separation Geogrid/Geotextile Geotextile/Geogria Geogria/ceotextile Geogrid/Geotextile Geotextile Geotextile Geotextile 14REFERENCES FOR FURTHER READING Rao, Raju; Engineering with Geosynthetics, Tata McGraw Hill 1990. CRI Roorkee, Application Potential of ‘Geosynthetics in Civil Engineering’ Proceedings of the Workshop Jan 1989, Tata McGraw Mill. Keorner, R-M., Designing with Geosynthetics, Prentice Hall 1986. Proceedings of ‘Workshop on Geotextile Applications in civil Engineering’ Punjab State Council for Science and Technology Chandigarh. Proceedings of 2nd International Workshop on Geotextiles 11-12 Jan, 1994, Committee for International Geotextile Society (India) and C.B.I.P. New Delhi. An Introduction to Geotextiles and related product in Civil Engineering Applications, gan 1994, Committee for International Geotextile Society (India) C/o C.B.I.P. New Delhi (Address; Central Board of Irrigation and Power, Malcha Marg, Chankyapuri, New Delhi- 110021) BIs Codes Is 13321 (part 1) 1992 - Glossary of terms 1s 13326 (part I) 1992 - Interface friction by Modified Shear Test is 13162 (part 2) : 1991 - U.V. light & Water resistance IS 13162 Series IS XD 29 Geotextiles - Method of test part 6 Seam strength determination.— Fluid transmission in a geotextile Fig.t: Retained Soil Geotextile . Fig.2: Filteration in Geotextile Aggrega: 7 ~ aoa Geotextile Subgrade Fig.3: \ Separation with Geotextile 16Stone Pitching Geotextile Fig.4: Surface protection Overlay Geotextile Concrete x Pavement Figs: Interface protection Facing Panel Fig.6: Geosynthetic as tensile memberwedge. i Ideal r pattern Fig.8(a): 45° 60° Fig.8(c): Practical reinforcement pattern (reinforcement placed after structure) 18 Interaction of reinforcement with failure 8° 6h Fig.8(b) Practical reinforcement Pattern - (reinforcement placed before structure) Fig.8(d): Practical reinforcement patternGEOTEXTILE NATURAL GROUND GRANULAR FILL, FIG :10 GEOTEXTILE REINFORCED: STEEP SLOPES, Gr. REINFORCEMENT SOFT SOIL wet Wf 9 999, 1/1 // FIG :11 REIMFORCED EMBARKMENT OM SOFT SOILS SHORELINE REVETMENT FIG 212 EMBANKMENT EROSION CONTROL FABRICS (CTF-s00E/4000) STF FABRIC GEOMEMBRANE suasoit FIG 213 CEOMEMERANE UNOMRLATMENTdU TLE GT. oRAIN SUBCRADE FIG 140 BLANKET RAINS FOUNDATION, YALL ———>} BACKFILL, pratt ean Pie “pureatic & LINE al DRAIN LATERAL DRAIN, TO TOE OF Dam FIG 2148 FOUNDATION DRAIKS FIG :14¢ CUT-OFF prams Cre @6u Faiageotextile applications ‘Geotextiles have many uses and functions in engineering construction such as: + Subgrade/Roadbase Improvement * Railroad Pavement Enhancement + Subsurface Drainage + Erosion Control + Walls and Slopes ° Containments Silt Fence and Landscape Functions of Geotextiles separation, filtration, drainage, reinforcement, protection/cushion, and moisture barrier. Subgrade /Roadbase Improvement: access, haul, and permanent roads, industrial criveways, parking lot, etc, The geo-textile is used for separation/stabilization, filtration, and/or for reinforcement. Railroad: beds, spurs, and rail crossings. The geo-textile is used for separation/stabilization, filtration, and/or reinforcement of the railroad line subgrade/base, ways, city streets, parking lots, bridge decks, and airport init ete nays. Paving fabrics and specialty repair membranes are engineered ia ‘minimize water infiltration, control reflective eracks, and/or pavement reinforce on Subsurface Drainage: geotextiles have replaced graded soil filters for drainage of virtually ail structures, including subsurface drains, dewatering trenches, intercept drains, pavement Site rains, walls and dams drains, leachate collection/detection renrevey drains, underdrains, sport field drains, etc. "alls and Slopes: for walls and steepened slopes to maximize useable construction space, [o34.widenings, parking areas, buildings sites, storage yards, steepened land slopes, landslide Tepairs, etc. Geotextiles are also used to iforee embankments and foundations. Containments: landfills, heap leach pads, sewage treatment lagoons, ponds, tunnels, canals, Sk I this variety of environmental uses, the geotextile can serve asa Bltation et ieig and 85 collection systems, protection/cushion of liners, daily covers and reinforcement Silt Fence and Landscape: silt fences are used for any construction site with the potential for soil runoff due to precipitation. Landscape fabrics are for weed control and separation in landscape applications. 22subsurface drainage Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Construction Procedure-trench drain Areas of Application Geotextiles have replaced graded soil filters for drainage of virtually all structures, including underdrains, dewatering trenches, intercept drains, Pavement edge drains, walls and dams drains, leachate collection/detection removal drains, sport field drain, etc. Design Challenges To perform, the filter fabric must allow liquids to pass through the geo-textile and into the drainage’media (granular soil and/or perforated pipe) throughout the design life of the drainage system. At the same time, the filter fabric must retain the upstream soil fine particles and Prevent them from migrating, or “piping” into the drainage system. The selection of a particular filter fabric can be accomplished following four basic criteria: + Retention criteria - The filter fabric openings must be small enough to prevent excessive migration of soil + Permeability criteria - The filter fabric must be permeable enough to allow liquids to pass through it without a significant reduction in flow. * Clogging criteria - The filter fabric must have a significant number of pore ‘openings, such that if soil particles block or clog a few openings path the flow of the filter fabric will be greater than the required system permeability. + Survivability criteria - The filter fabric must exhibit adequate strength, chemical resistance, and environmental resistance to prevent it from becoming damaged during installation and throughout the design life of the drainage system. ana AgG@s pb ak 9 oO faxn¥Benefits Compared to conventional granular soil filters, geotextiles offer advantages by providing: consistent and continuous filter, reduced excavation, reduced environmental impact, simplified, higher quality construction, reduced time of construction, and + @ substantial reduction in material costs. Also, allows use of more structurally efficient free draining open graded base materials, Recommended Products ~ Fabrics has a broad spectrum of geo-textiles designed for drainage applications. Both woven and non-woven geo-textiles perform well when draining stable, coarse-grained soils. Non-woven geo-textiles are generally used when the retention of fine soil particles is critical to the performance of the drainage system. The extensive product line enables you to choose a geo-textile that precisely meets your project conditions and specifications. Because the product You need will vary with construction conditions, your local distributor / technical engineers can assist you in selecting the proper geo-textile that is appropriate for your job. Construction Procedure A schematic of the construction procedures for a geo-textile lined drainage trench is presented below. Excavate trench Place filter fabric Add bedding and pipe Completion of drain. then, backfill to grade. Sener 24erosion control + Areas of Application + Design Challenges + Benefits Erosion Control/Vegetative Growth Areas of Application Geo-textiles have replaced graded granular filters used beneath riprap or other armor materials. Typical applications include drainage channels, shorelines, river, coastal protection, canals, and bridge and pier scour protection systems. Design Challenges . The effective control of destructive erosion in shorelines, riverbanks, drainage ditches, and canals has always posed a difficult problem. This stems from the need for a robust outer protective layer to absorb the energy of wave or current, and an inner protective layer, traditionally in the form of an aggregate filter to Prevent erosion of the bank soil. This inner layer has a particularly difficult rote to play, since it must fill the often conflicting requirements of being fine enough to act as a bank soil filter, yet coarse enough to prevent the generation of high differential pressure between the bank and external water levels. These Problems are overcome with properly designed geo-textile filter fabric installed to cover the exposed surface of the bank. The selection of geo-textiles used in shoreline erosion control requires consideration of filtration mechanisms, installation stresses, and long-term durability requirements. Filtration mechanisms will rely on the gradation of the soil, pore size characteristics of thegeo-textile, and water flow conditions. While design criteria have been well established for geo-textile filters, the special nature of erosion control applications must be carefully considered in selecting the most appropriate geo- textile for the specific site conditions. The design relations are complicated by the reversing flow conditions that exist in coastal erosion control applications, Benefits Compared to conventional graded granular soll filters, geo-textiles offer advantages by providing: consistent and continuous filter reduced environmental Impact simplified, higher quality construction reduced time of construction @ substantial reduction in material costs subgrade-roadbase improvement Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Separation/Stabilization Application Construction Procedure Areas of Application Both woven and non-woven geo-textiles can be effectively used in the separation/stabilization of primary highway, secondary or low volume roads, unpaved and paved (access roads, forest roads, haul roads), parking lots, industrial yards, etc. Geo-textiles provide four important functions that enhance roadway Performance: separation, filtration, drainage, and/or reinforcement. The geo-textile you select depends on which functions are required to stabilize your Project. 26Design Challenges The leading cause of roadway pavement structure failure is contamination of the aggregate base and the resulting loss in aggregate strength. When aggregate Is placed on weak sub-grade soil, the bottom layer becomes contaminated with soll. Over time, traffic loading and vibration punches pavement base aggregate into the soil and causes silt and clay to migrate upward. On wet sites, construction traffic causes pumping of the wet sub-grade soils into overlying aggregate. All of these conditions decrease the effective aggregate thickness destroying the road support and reducing roadway performance and life. It is well established that roadway sub-grades can be effectively stabilized by using a combination of geo-textiles and aggregate. Benefits ‘A geo-textile placed between the sub-grade and sub-base layers offers numerous advantages such as: , * Prevents contamination of the sub-base and base layers by fines. Allows use of more structurally efficient free-draining open-graded base materials. + Increases road drainage Reduces the depth of excavation required to remove unsuitable sub-grade materials. + Minimizes site preparation requirements. Saves inclement-weather downtime, because work can continue under most conditions. + Extends pavement structure life. + Prevents pavernent failure. + Reduces costly maintenance repair and upkeep. Separation/Stabilization Application Separation is the function of a geo-textile used to prevent mixing of a sub-grade or sub-base soil and an aggregate cover material (sub-base, base, select embankment, etc). This is the most important geo-textile function for roads, particularly when building on weak to moderate strength sub-grade soils (CBR > 3). When weaker soils (1 < CBR < 3) and/or wet conditions are encountered, higher strength woven and non-woven geo-textiles are commonly used for roadway stabilization. Therefore, equally as important as separation,a properly selected stabilization geo-textile and the overlying free draining base layer can improve "filtration and drainage” of the sub-grade providing a means for dissipating excess pore water pressures. In some installations, the geo- textile can also provide reinforcement. - If the stress conditions over the pavement embankment section may cause global sub-grade foundation or stability failure (such as embankments over soft solls (CBR < 1 %)), then the primary function of the geo-textile is reinforcement. If required, site-specific reinforcement design should. be Performed using standard geotechnical techniques. High-modulus, woven reinforcement geo-textile may be considered. A separation geo-textile le also Retessary beneath any open-structure geo-synthetics such as a geo-grid or a geo-cell when placed over a soft sub-grade, Geo-textiles can Increase the life expectancy of the pavement and eliminate 30% or more of the required aggregate thickness in an unpaved road or other unpaved surface such as a storage yard or construction pad. Using AASHTO 1893 flexible pavement design methods, It also allows a reduction in’ the structural section thickness of pavements and/or can greatly increase the pavement service life. Construction Procedure 1. Site Preparation: remove trees, shrubs, stumps, etc., level out major unevenness 2, Geo-textile Installation: unroll the geo-textile directly over the ground to be stabilized 3. Geo-textile Continuity: overlaps, sewing, or welding 4. Placement of Fill Material: back-dump aggregate onto the geo-textile at Its edge, or over previously placed fill 5. Compaction pavement enhancement Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Recommended Products Construction Procedure- 28Areas of Application Maintenance and resurfacing of highways, city streets, parking areas, storage yards, airport pavements, bridge deck membrane systems, chip-seal surface treatments, etc. Design Challenges A major contributor to pavement deterioration is water beneath pavements, that softens subgrade soll which destroys pavement structural capacity. A pavement with a base which becomes saturated as little as 10% of the time will only have 50% of the life of a pavement where water is kept out of the base. Most of this water enters through cracks and pores in the pavement surface. The long-term Performance of a rehabilitated pavement surface is determined by the effect of bending fatigue, natural aging, formation of ruts, wear, thermally induced cracking and reflective cracking Benefits When a geosynthetic interlayer product is placed between pavement layers, this product system becomes an integral part of the roadway section, forming a barrier to water infiltration and absorbing stresses to reduce reflective and fatigue cracking of the new AC surface layer. The effect of geosynthetic interlayer products on the durability of new pavement and asphalt overlay Surfaces is a complex mechanism that is determined by a range of parameters: type of geosynthetic product, type of asphalt concrete mix and thickness, tack coat, existing pavement surface and overall construction quality. It is not Possible to assess the performance of geosynthetic interlayer products by merely considering their tensile strength. The principal factors contributing to a longer road life are the waterproofing function performed by the bitumen impregnated paving product, the considerably improved evenness of the Ponding, and the crack retarding benefits of the stress absorbing interlayer. Construction Procedure — Old pavement preparation. Clean pavement and cracks, removing dirt, debris and vegetation. Fill potholes and large cracks with cold or hot mix. Apply a leveling course if'necessary. 2 1. Application of uniformly sprayed bitumen tack coat. 2. Installation of the paving fabric. Avoid large wrinkles. 3. Installation of the new asphalt concrete overlay. -walls & slopes Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Recommended Products Long Term, Interface Friction, and Connections Design Parameters (Technical Bulletins Areas of Application For walls and steepened slopes to maximize useable construction spaces, road widenings, building sites, storage yards, steepened landfill slopes, landslide repairs, etc. Geotextiles are also used to reinforce embankments and foundations over soft soils. : Design Challenges Walls and Slopes allow property owners to maximize their land use, Geotextile reinforced soil walls and slopes present not only a technically interesting solution for supported earth structures, but most important, an economical alternative to rigid concrete walls or slopes. It is technically interesting solution because test loads applied to geotextile reinforced soil walls and slopes have demonstrated that the actual failure load is far above what current design methodologies allow. Benefits Woven geo-textiles offer significant advantages over conventional methods, such as: + Quick and easy construction + Ability to use on-site backfill material + A flexible structure with high load bearing capacity Substantial cost reduction as compared to conventional retaining walls and slopes. Lower cost than a Geo-grid reinforced soil system. technical bulletins to aid an engineer in selecting a property value for use in the predominant design methods are available. 30containments Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Recommended Products Areas of Application Containments facilities such as municipal and hazardous landfills, impoundments, mining heap leach pads, channels, water reservoirs, sewage treatment lagoons, waste containment ponds, tunnels, daily cover, etc, Design Challenges Geo-membrane liners typically range from 20 - 100 mils thick, The relatively thin liners can be damaged easily, both during the installation of the sealing systems as well as after completion of the conctraction if adequate mechanical protection is not provided. Also, gases and liquids are generated under the liner within waste and surface impoundment systems that must be drained. Waste and surface impoundment cleanup projects demand 920 textiles with uncompromising physical properties and consistent Product guallty.. In environmental applications, geo-textiles must retain these’ critical Properties while exposed to harsh ~— chemical environments. Benefits Geo-textiles form an integral part of containment systems. Geo-textiles serves in a variety of environmental applications, including filtration of fluid and gas collection systems, protection of geo- membrane liners from damage and puncture, and reinforcement. By using a suitable needle-punched, non-woven geo-textile in combination with the liner, the danger of damage to the liner system can be reduced substantially. Because of the high quality — and chemical stability of the polypropylene resin used to manufacture fabrics, Scontextiles are engineered to withstand the harsh conditions commonly encountered on environmental projects. 3 Recommended Products Woven and non-woven fabrics are sultable for fluid & gas collection systems, geo- membrane protection, reinforcement, and landfill daily covers. “yssilt fence & landscape Areas of Application Design Challenges Benefits Recommended Products Areas of Application Silt Fences are used for any construction site with the potential for soil sediment runoff due to precipitation. Landscaping fabrics are used for weed control and separation in landscape applications. Design Challenges Many construction activities disturb vegetation and the topsoil is vulnerable to being washed away by the rain. This sediment often contaminates the surrounding areas and typically ends up in streams, rivers and lakes, killing fish and other aquatic life. To assure the retention of this harmful sediment, a barrier must be properly placed to control the water runoff. Geo-textile silt fences have been properly designed and specified to accomplish this task. Ben Ss Geo-textile Temporary silt fences perform a vital function for the construction industry and provide economical environmental protection. As a filter, Geo- textile silt fences can help to control water runoff, retaining the silt particles and allowing clean water to pass or filter through the fabric. Such silt fence fabrics are made from either woven or non-woven polypropylene yarns or fibers that have been treated to resist degradation caused by exposure to sunlight. For landscape areas, Geo-textile non-woven fabrics are calendared to control the weeds while allowing the water and nutrients to get the plant roots 32