College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

Analytical Investigation of Geonet Reinforcement on Bearing Capacity in

Stabilization of Subgrade Soil

A Research Study on the

Applications of Geotechnical Engineering

in the Field of Civil Engineering

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for ENGG - 416

Research Methods

Submitted by:

Bruce, Ralph Timothy Joseph S.

De Mesa, John Red P.

Garcia, Suzane Hyde L.

Suarez, Ann Gabrielle

Submitted to:

Engr. Andrea Severano

Date:

May 2024
 College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Building construction requires a lot of soil tests and laboratories to be able to identify if a

certain land area is capable of withstanding the total load of the building and the soil’s bearing

capacity. Soil in different land areas also comes into varieties in which their characteristics and

qualities also vary. The soil itself can be either a sub graded or well graded soil which differs from

each other on the type of use, sub graded soil is primarily used as the foundation layer that supports

the weight of structures, so improving its bearing capacity will be able to produce a land surface that

can withstand larger buildings and structures. In the modern era, land spaces become lesser as

population increases due to increasing land usage to be able to provide shelter to the growing

population. Shelter is not just the major concern for growing population, also the demand of work that

the community needs to provide daily necessities. One of the major solutions to this problem is to

create large commercial buildings to be able to provide employment for the community.

Steel reinforcement and sand bags are the common ways to be able to improve the bearing

capacity since it is the usual process engineers use in a long period of time. Changes in terms of

construction processes were really inevitable since the world hungers for innovation which will not

hinder the quality of the buildings. Geosynthetic materials especially geonets is one of the possible

construction innovations the community are looking for. Based on the engineering study of Gupta

(2021), geonet is a type of geosynthetic material, similar to geogrid. Geonets are covered with

geotextile material on both sides and are named drainage geocomposites. Geonets are constructed in

the same way as geogrids, except the ribs are joined uniformly by extrusion. This method continually

produces a net.
 College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

Geonets are utilized as a surface course in road building, including rehabilitation and new

construction. Geonets are mesh structures made up of overlapping threads/bands (from 3 to 15 mm) at

a fixed angle (60-90°). This produces equal holes ranging in diameter from 10 to 200 mm. They are

produced by press forming high-strength polyethylene or welding threads/bands. Geonets are utilized

for a variety of applications, including soft foundation treatment, roadbed improvement, slope

protection, bridge abutment reinforcement, coastal slope protection, reservoir bottom reinforcement,

geonet earthquake mitigation, and others.

Soft foundation soils have high settlement and poor shear strength, which severely limits

building and earthworks. Replace soft soil with high-quality fill material to increase bearing capacity

and reduce settling. Alternatively, reinforcements can be utilized to enhance soil properties.

Geosynthetic soil reinforcement, particularly geonets, has long been acknowledged as a scientifically

and economically feasible solution to excessive settlement and low bearing capacity in soft soils,

particularly for shallow foundations. Geonets were employed to reinforce the foundation soil and

increase its performance (Bazne et al., 2014).

Throughout this study we will be able to identify the physical and chemical properties of

geonet reinforcement for stabilizing soil, the distinctive characteristics of geonet reinforcement that

qualify it to carry the bearing capacity in stabilizing subgrade soil and also to identify the possible

effect of adding geonets on the soil to its characteristic including soil compaction, tensile strength,

plasticity and saturation-induced instability. By the acknowledgement of these parameters, this will

inform engineers, contractors and to those who are involved in construction processes that geonets are

suitable for foundation reinforcement.

 College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

Geonet reinforcement has the potential to greatly affect several industries in the current

period, including building, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and agriculture.

Geonets may strengthen soil in building projects, resulting in stronger foundations, slopes, and

retaining walls, particularly in difficult terrains. This can increase infrastructure longevity and lower

maintenance costs. Geonets can improve soil utilization, potentially lowering the quantity of material

required for embankments, landfills, and other projects. Geonets can improve soil stability, allowing

for more efficient building operations and reducing project delays and costs. Geonets have a

long-term impact not only on construction but also on the environment because they can stabilize

slopes and shorelines, prevent erosion and protect ecosystems, serve as landfill liners, helping to

contain waste and prevent harmful leachate from contaminating soil and water, and be used in the

remediation of contaminated sites by isolating pollutants and facilitating their removal. Addressing

environmental issues during manufacture and disposal, guaranteeing long-term durability, and

carefully analyzing cost-effectiveness are all critical for ethical and sustainable implementation.
 College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

Research Objectives

This research is entitled “Calibration of Geonet Reinforcement on Bearing Capacity in

Stabilization of Subgrade Soil” that aims to scrutinize the following:

● This study aims to provide a comprehensive analytic investigation of the

sustainability of geonet for strengthening purposes and stabilization of subgrade soil.

● To further analyze the effect of geonets reinforcement on the performance of soil

foundation in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering applications.

● To assess the durability and long-term performance of geonets reinforcement in

subgrade soil and analyze the efficacy over an extended period of time.

● To examine varying parameters of geonet reinforcement, such as spacing, tensile

strength, and geometry, influence the enhancement of subgrade soil stability.

Statement of the Problem

This research aims to provide comprehensive analytical investigation of proficiency of geonet

reinforcement on bearing capacity in stabilization of subgrade soil.

Specifically, this research seeks answers to the following questions:

1. What are the physical and chemical properties of geonet reinforcement for

stabilizing soil?

2. What are the distinctive characteristics of geonet reinforcement that qualify it to

carry the bearing capacity in stabilizing subgrade soil?

3. How can the biodegradation process affect the geonet in the construction process?

4. What effect does geonet reinforcement have on subgrade soil particles, in terms of:

4.1 soil compaction?

4.2 tensile strength?

 College of Engineering – Department of Civil Engineering

4.3 plasticity?

4.4 saturation-induced instability?

5. What are the advantages of calibrating geonet reinforcement in stabilization of

subgrade soil?

Scope and Delimitation

The study gives emphasis on analyzing geonet reinforcement on bearing capacity focusing on

qualifying characteristics, soil compaction, tensile strength, plasticity, and saturation-induced

instability in order to calibrate the means that are typically used in stabilization of subgrade soil.

Additionally, this study aims to determine the advantages of the utilization of the geonet

reinforcement on bearing capacity compared to the standard methods of geosynthetic processes.

Moreover, this study will only cover the calibration of geonet reinforcement when acted upon by the

biodegradation process in construction. Thus, the natural disintegration of geonet reinforcement is not

included in the study.

Furthermore, this study is limited to which kind of information resource can be presented

considering the study specializes in textual information rather than actual applications. Data will be

gathered from existing studies and professionals that are knowledgeable or experienced in a project

involving geonet reinforcement in stabilization of subgrade soil. Civil engineers who lack exposure to

the topic are excluded from the study.

On the other hand, the study and the data gathering phase will be conducted through the

utilization of both face-to-face discussion and online conference applications like document-sharing

platforms while regularly consulting with the assigned research adviser for the school year.