GEO TEXTILES

ABSTRACT:
Geotextiles have been used very successfully in road construction for over 30 years. Their primary function is to separate the sub base from the subgrade resulting in a stronger road construction. The geotextile performs this function by providing a dense mass of fibers at the interface of the two layers. It is suggested that the ability of a geotextile to act as a separator is largely independent of the mechanical characteristic of the geotextile and that strain softening geotextiles can still perform this role when strained past their peak values. A strain energy approach to design is not routine in geotechnical engineering design, as it is difficult to quantify the external energy supplied to the system and the internal energies of the individual components making up the construction. Recent research has suggested that an equivalence of strain energy, between different geotextile types, may exist up to the in service strain. Comparing the actual strain energy and that calculated using a simplified approach shows that significant errors are introduced by firstly ignoring the nonlinear characteristics of the stress-strain curve and secondly by not considering the entire area under the stress-strain curve to rupture of the geotextile. Based on the difficultly in using the strain energy approach in geotechnical engineering design and the significant inconsistencies that can exist in its calculation, it is suggested that the concept of strain energy is not an appropriate parameter for characterising geotextiles.

INTRODUCTION:

Geotextiles have proven to be among the most versatile and cost-effective ground modification materials. Their use has expanded rapidly into nearly all areas of civil, geotechnical, environmental, coastal, and hydraulic engineering. They form the major component of the field of geosynthetics, the others being geogrids, geomembranes and geocomposites. The ASTM defines geotextiles as permeable textile materials used in contact with soil, rock, earth or any other geotechnical related material as an integral part of civil engineering project, structure, or system. Based on their structure and the manufacturing technique, geotextiles may be broadly classified into woven and nonwoven. Woven geotextiles are manufactured by the interlacement of warp and weft yarns, which may be of spun, multifilament, fibrillated or of slit film. Nonwoven geotextiles are manufactured through a process of mechanical interlocking or thermal bonding of fibers/filaments. Mechanical interlocking of the fibers/filaments is achieved through a process called needle punching. Needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles are best suited for a wide variety of civil engineering applications and are the most widely used type of geotextile in the world. Interlocking of the fibers/filaments could also be achieved through thermal bonding. Heat-bonded geotextiles should be used with caution, as they are not suitable for filtration applications or road stabilization applications over soft soils.

RAW MATERIAL OF GEOTEXTILE:

The four main polymer families most widely used as the raw material for geotextiles are: 1. Polyester 2. Polyamide 3. Polypropylene 4. Polyethylene The oldest of these is polyethylene, which was discovered in 1931 in the research laboratories of the ICI. Another group of polymers with a long production history is the polyamide family, the first of which was discovered in 1935.The next oldest of the four main polymer families relevant to geotextile manufacture is polyester which was first

announced in 1941.The most recent polymer family relevant to geotextiles to be developed was polypropylene, which was discovered in 1954. The comparative properties of these four polymer are shown in very general items in Table

Polyester Strength Elastic modulus Strain at failure Creep Unit weight Cost Resistance to: U.V. light stabilized unstabilized Alkalis Fungus, vermin Fuel Detergents H H L M M H H H M L H H

Polyamide M M M M M M

Polypropylene L L H H L L

Polyethylene L L H H L L

M M H M M H

H M H M L H

H L H H L H

H: High; M: Medium; L: Low

THE BASIC PROPERTIES OF GEOTEXTILE:

The properties of polymer material are affected by its average molecular weight (MW ) and its statistical distribution. Increasing the average MW results in increasing:

tensile strength elongation impact strength stress crack resistance heat resistance

TYPES OF GEO TEXTILES:

woven geo-textiles Non-woven geo-textiles Knitted geo-textiles

Geo Textiles are the largest group of geo synthetics in terms of volume and are used in geo technical engineering, heavy construction, building and pavement construction, hydrogeology, environment engineering.

WOVEN GEO-TEXTILES
A fabric or synthetic material placed between the soil and a pipe, gabion or retaining wall; to enhance water movement and retard soil movement and act as a blanket to add reinforcement and separation. Coastal works, water ways, embankments and in forming. Geocell for road

Woven geo-textiles on concrete basis

NON-WOVEN GEO-TEXTILES
Filtration, drainage, reinforcement between soil stone or aggregate and in roads, railways works, erosion prevention and separation. As filter fabric for dams, under drainage system liners for pile foundation, coated PVC and bitumens to skin traction.

Non-woven geo-textiles in filtration

KNITTED GEO-TEXTILES
Knitted bags for protection of dams riverbank etc. Warp knitted fabric of Kevlar yarns used in automobile and marine application. It is also used with foundations,

soil, rock, earth or any other related material as an integral part of human man made project, structure or system.

Reinforcement knitted geo-textiles reinforcement and separation reinforcement and anti-contaminating reinforcement and filtration

FUNCTIONS OF GEOTEXTILE:
The mode of operation of a geotextile in any application is defined by six discrete functions: Separation Filtration Drainage Reinforcement Sealing Protection.

Depending on the application the geotextile performs one or more of these functions simultaneously. The protection function is not discussed here as it is not related to transportation applications.

SEPARATION:
Separation is defined as, The introduction of a flexible porous textile placed between dissimilar materials so that the integrity and the functioning of both the materials can remain intact or be improved. In transportation applications separation refers to the geotextiles role in preventing the intermixing of two adjacent soils.

Geotextile installed as separation beneath roadbed. 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.

FILTRATION:
It is defined as the equilibrium geotextile-to-soil system that allows for adequate liquid flow with limited soil loss across the plane of the geotextile over a service lifetime compatible with the application under consideration . To perform this function the geotextile needs to satisfy two conflicting requirements: the filters pore size must be small enough to retain fine soil particles while the geotextile should permit relatively unimpeded flow of water into the drainage media. A common application illustrating the filtration function is the use of a geotextile in a pavement edge drain.

Edge Drain wrapped with Geotextile

REINFORCEMENT
In this method, the structural stability of the soil is greatly improved by the tensile strength of the geosynthetic material. This concept is similar to that of reinforcing concrete with steel. Since concrete is weak in tension, reinforcing steel is used to strengthen it. Geosynthetic materials function in a similar manner as the reinforcing steel by providing tensile strength that helps to hold the soil in place. Reinforcement provided by geotextiles or geogrids allows embankments and roads to be built over very weak soils and allows for steeper embankments to be built.

Soil Reinforcement of an Embankment using a Geosynthetic.

DRAINAGE
Although filtering applications are commonly referred to as drainage applications, they are different. Drainage applications refer to situations where the water flows within the

plane of the geosynthetic product (in-plane drainage). In filtration applications, the water flows across the plane of the material. Although certain types of geotextiles provide some in-plane drainage, most drainage situations require a geo-composite drainage product such as prefabricated sheet drains that provide a much greater drainage capacity.

Diagram showing the basic layout of a vertical sand filter with drainage The filter bed should consist of the following elements:

20cm of top soil Layer of geotextile Drainage pipes bedded in the upper half of a 20cm layer of 10/40 aggregate (non calcaire - limestone) 70cm layer of sand Another layer of geotextile Drainage pipes bedded in the lower half of a 20cm layer of 10/40 aggregate (non calcaire - limestone) All surrounded by a non permeable film.

SEALINGS
A nonwoven geotextile performs this function when impregnated with asphalt or other polymeric mixes rendering it relatively impermeable to both cross-plane and inplane flow. The classic application of a geotextile as a liquid barrier is paved road rehabilitation. Here the nonwoven geotextile is placed on the existing pavement surface following the application of an asphalt tack coat. The geotextile absorbs asphalt to become a aterproofing membrane minimizing vertical flow of water into the pavement structure.

HDPE- High Density Polyethylene Liners HDPE is the most widely used geomembrane today. It has been the choice of many for large critical containment applications.

Resistant to a wide range of chemicals on account of density >.94/cm3 Reliable in exposed environment due to high UV protection against degrading and low temperature brittleness

PROTECTION
stream bed is the channel bottom of a stream, river or creek; the physical confine of the normal water flow. The lateral confines or channel margins, during all but flood stage, are known as the stream banks or river banks. In fact, a flood occurs when a stream overflows its banks and flows onto its flood plain. As a general rule, the bed is that part of the channel, just at the "normal" water line and the banks are that part above the water line.

However, because water flow varies, this differentiation is subject to local interpretation. Usually, the bed is kept clear of terrestrial vegetation, whereas the banks are subjected to water flow only during unusual or perhaps infrequent high water stages and therefore, might support vegetation some or much of the time.

GEOTEXTILE REQUIREMENT:
Selecting a geotextile for paved road depends upon the geotextile survivability. If a roadway system is designed correctly, then the stress at the top of the subgrade due to the weight of the aggregate and the traffic load is less than the bearing capacity of the subgrade plus a safety factor. However the stresses applied to the subgrade and the geotextile during the construction is much greater than that applied during service. Therefore, selection of the geotextile in roadway applications is usually governed by the anticipated construction stresses. The geotextile must survive the construction operations if it is to perform the intended function of separation and filtration. These survivability requirements are based on properties of geotextiles, which have performed satisfactorily. Judgment and experience our required to select final specification values. For large projects geotextile survivability should be verified by conducting field tests under sitespecific conditions. The selected geotextile must also retain underlying soil fines, while allowing a relatively unimpeded flow of water. Hence

the geotextile Opening size and Permeability should be ascertained to match the site requirements.

CONCLUSION:
Geotextiles are effective tools in the hands of the civil engineer that have proved to solve a myriad of geotechnical problems. With the availability of variety of products with differing characteristics, the design engineer needs to be aware of not only the application possibilities but also more specifically the reason why he is using the geotextile and the governing geotextile functional properties to satisfy these functions. Design and selection of geotextiles based on sound engineering principles will serve the long-term interest of both the user and the industry.

REFERENCES:
1. Robert M. Koerner Designing with Geosynthetics, 1998 2. http://www.drexel.edu/gri/gmat.html 3. John N.W. M Geotextile , 1987 4. TANFEL Advertisement report 1990 5. http://www.geofabrics.com.au/bidim.htm#filtration 6. http://www.geofabrics.com.au/bidim.htm#embankment 7. http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/aex-fact/0304.html 8. http://www.acf-environ.com/stabprod.html 9. http://www.cofra.com/typar.html 10. www.multigeo.com 11. www.jute-industry.com/jute-textiles/geo-textiles.html 12. N. W. M. John - Technology & Engineering 1987 Geotextiles