03/11/2021

SUMMARY FUNCTION OF GEOSYNTHETIC MATERIALS

Type Separation Reinforcement Filtration Drainage Containment

Geotextile    
Geogrid 
Geonet 
Geomembrane 
Geosynthetic clay
1.

liners 
Geocells/Geo web
members  
Geofoam 
Geocomposites     

Fundamental concepts of soil reinforcement

Unreinforced soil Reinforced soil

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Roles of a geosynthetic reinforcement: (a) causing change

of failure mode (shear stress reduction effect)

Roles of a geosynthetic reinforcement: (b) redistribution of the applied surface load

(confinement effect)

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Roles of a geosynthetic reinforcement: (c) providing vertical

support (membrane effect) (adapted from Bourdeau et al.,
1982 & Espinoza, 1994);

The membrane effect of geosynthetics causes an increase in

the load-bearing capacity of the foundation soil below the
loaded area with a downward loading on its surface to either
side of the loaded area, thus reducing its heave potential.

Roles of a geosynthetic reinforcement: (d) providing passive resistance through

interlocking of the soil particles (interlocking effect)

The transfer of stress from the soil to the geogrid reinforcement is made through
bearing (passive resistance) at the soil to the grid cross-bar interface. It is important
to underline that because of the small surface area and large apertures of geogrids,
the interaction is due mainly to interlocking rather than to friction.