Geo-synthetics

TEXTILE FIBRES
 It is a hair like structure, very small in diameter.
 This fibres can be spun into yarn
TYPES OF TEXTILE FIBRE
 Natural fibre – Plants, animals, soil
 Animal fibre (silk, wool fibre…)
 Mineral fibre ( asbestos fibre..)
 Vegetable origin (cotton,Jute fibre…)
 Artificial (or) Manmade fibre- Petrochemicals
 Polymers synthesized from chemicals( nylon fibre, polyester
fibre….)
 Minerals (Glass fibre…)
PROPERTIES OF TEXTILE FIBRE
 Very long
 Very fine
 Less density
 High strength
 High elasticity
 Good torsional rigidity
APPLICATIONS OF GEOTEXTILES
 Road work – provide tensile strength where shear strength
generated
 Railway works – separate soil from subsoil by resisting shocks &
vibrations
 River canal – prevents erosion
 Sports field – “Astro turf” – Nylon fibre
 Agriculture – Mud control
Geo synthetics are classified as follows:

1. Geotextiles
2. Geogrids
3. Geonets
4. Geomembranes
5. Geosynthetic clay liners
6. Geocells/geo web members
7. Geofoam
8. Geocomposites
Geotextiles
Geotextiles are defined as “any permeable textile used with
foundation soil, rock, earth, or any other geotechnical engineering-related
material as an integral part of a human-made project, structure, or system”.

CHARACTERISTICS

Porous and allow flow of water through it.

Most used geosynthetics.
They may be either woven or non woven
Available in rolls of 5.6m wide and 50-150m long.
Composed of polymers like polypropylene, high density polyethylene,
polyster.
Function: Separation, Reinforcement, Filtration, Drainage.
 WOVEN GEOTEXTILE

•Uniform and regular interweaving of threads or yarns in two directions.

•Regular Visible Construction Pattern.
•Function: Soil Separation, Reinforcement, Load distribution, Filtration, Drainage
•Have high tensile strength and relatively low strain.
 NON WOVEN GEOTEXTILE

Formed by heat bonding, resin bonding or needle punching.

No visible thread pattern.
Function: Soil separation, stabilization, load distribution, but not used for
reinforcement.
They have high strain and stretch considerably under load.
 GEOMEMBRANES

•Materials are relatively thin impervious

sheets .
•Generally made from butyl rubber.
•The sell of geomembrane are greater than
geotextiles.
  Landfill liner-The primary purpose of a Geomembrane liner in a landfill
is to protect the groundwater from being contaminated.
 Landfill cap-Geomembranes
are used in landfill caps to prevent
fluid flow into the landfill.
 Pond liner- Geo-membrane liners
in potable water reservoirs is
to prevent seepage loss.
 Secondary Containment- Tank farms are lined to prevent groundwater
contamination in the event of a chemical spill.

 Canal liners- Geo-membranes are viable alternatives to concrete and

compacted earth for lining canals to reduce seepage.
 GEOGRIDS

•They have open grid like configuration i.e. they have large aperture
between individual ribs.
•They have Low strain and stretch about 2% under load.
•Strength is more that other common geotextiles.
•Function: Used exclusively for reinforcement
 GEONETS
(Geospacers)
•Formed by continuous extrusion of
parallel sets of polymeric ribs(LDPE &
HDPE) at preset angles to one another.
•Their design function is completely
within the in-plane drainage area where
they are used to convey all types of
liquids.
•Though they are used for the drainage
function but they have high tensile
strength.
•Generally used along with one or two
geotextile matter one at the top and other
at the bottom to prevent soil intrusion .
 GEOCOMPOSITES:

•This is a factory fabricated unit with two or more geosynthetic components.

•This is prepared to extract all the major properties of the geosynthetics into
a single unit with minimum cost.
•Along with geosynthetic materials sometimes some non geosynthetic
materials are also used.

The various types of Geocomposites are :-

Geotextile-Geonet Composites
Geotextile –Geomembrane Composiets
Geotextile –Geogrid Composiets
Geomembrane –Geogrid Composite
Geotextile-Polymer Core Composite
 TESTS ON GEOSYNTHETICS:

1. Grab test
2. Seam testing
3. Puncture test
4. CBR push through test
5. Tear test
6. Diaphragm bursting strength test
7. Cone drop test
8. Dry sieve test
9. Gradient test
 CONCLUSION
The rapid growth in the geosynthetic market the world
over has lent confidence to the civil engineer in their
use.
One should not be tempted to imagine geosynthetics
are magical materials to yield excellent results, without
due consideration of the problem or soil geosynthetic
interaction. Such a blind approach could lead to
disaster.
The future appears to be more promising with stronger
& more durable geosynthetics emerging into the market
along with fibrous system to be mixed with soil for giving
more hope as well as challenge to the Geotechnical
engineer in the years to come