Geotextile
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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 (looks like mail bag sacking), needle punched (looks like felt), or heat bonded (looks like ironed felt).
As the use of geotextile fabrics has expanded, geotextile composites have been introduced and products such as geogrids and meshes have been developed. Overall, these materials are referred to as geosynthetics and each configuration—-geonets, geogrids and others—-can yield certain benefits in geotechnical and environmental engineering design.
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[edit] Applications
Geotextiles and related products have a wide range of applications and are currently used to advantage in many civil engineering applications including roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, retaining structures, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection, coastal engineering and construction site silt fences. Usually geotextiles will be placed at the tension surface as it will strengthen the soil. Geotextiles are also used for sand dune armoring to protect upland coastal property from the effects of storm surge, wave action and flooding. A large sand-filled container (SFC) is placed within the dune system and prevents storm erosion from proceeding beyond the SFC. Damaging scour is also eliminated by the geotextile SFC if a sloped unit is used, rather than a single tube. Erosion control manuals comment on the effectiveness of sloped, stepped shapes in mitigating erosion damage from storms on the shoreline, and geotextile sand-filled units provide a "soft" armoring solution for upland property protection.[citation needed]
Geotextiles can be used as an innovative way to improve soil strength, instead of the conventional manner using soil nailing. It is believed[who?] that the cost for geotextile use to improve soil strength is much cheaper. In addition, steep slopes can then be planted with vegetation to enhance the aesthetic value.
Geotextiles have been used to protect the fossil hominid footprints of Laetoli in Tanzania from erosion, rain, and tree roots.[1]
In building demolition, geotextile fabrics are used in combination with steel wire fencing as a means of containing the debris from explosive charges placed in columns.[2]
Coir (coconut fiber) geotextiles are popular another popular product which is used for erosion control practices. They are known to reduce soil erosion and is used for bioengineering and slope stabilization applications globally due to the mechanical strength necessary to hold soil together. It has been proven[who?] that coir geotextiles last for approximately 3 to 5 years depending on the weight, and by the time the product degrades, it converts itself it to humus, which enriches the soil.[citation needed]
[edit] Design considerations
To use geotextiles to reinforce a steep slope, two components have to be calculated:
- the tension required for equilibrium
- the appropriate layout of the geotextile reinforcement.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Geosynthetics |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Renfrew, Colin and Paul Bahn, Archaeology. 4th ed. New York: Thames 2004.
- ^ WGBH Boston (1996-12). "Interview with Stacey Loizeaux". NOVA Online. Public Broadcasting Service. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/kaboom/loizeaux.html. Retrieved on 2009-04-29. "Other preparatory operations are covering—wrapping the columns with chain link fence and then in geotextile fabric, which is very puncture resistant and has a very high tensile strength. It allows the concrete to move, but it keeps the concrete from flying. The chain link catches the bigger material and the fabric catches the smaller material from flying up and out."
[edit] External links
- Alberta Government site on Geotechnical and Erosion Control
- Enviro Technical Systems. Installation of geotextile and geomembrane products
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