CHAPTER 5

GEOTEXTILE, SEPARATION, UNPAVED ROADWAY REINFORCEMENT

Geotextile – is typically defined as any permeable textile material usually used in civil
engineering construction projects (such as highway or dam building) that stabilizes loose
soil and prevents erosion.

Types of Geotextile

1. Woven Geotextiles
-These were the first to be developed from the synthetic fiber
-As their name implies, they are manufactured by adopting techniques which are
similar to weaving usual clothing textile
2. Non-Woven Geotextiles
– Can be manufactured from either short staple fiber or continuous filament yarn.
– The fibers can be bonded together by adopting thermal, chemical or mechanical
techniques.

3. Knitted Geotextiles – it is formed by using the knitting techniques in conjunction with

some other method of geosynthetic manufacture, such as weaving.
Functions of Geotextile

1. Drainage (transmissivity)
- This refers to the ability of thick non-woven geotextile whose three- dimensional
structure provides an avenue for flow of water though the plane of the geotextile.
- Here the geotextile promotes a lateral flow thereby dissipating the kinetic energy
of the capillary rise of the ground water.

Applications and Advantages of using Geotextile in drainage:

a. Drains with Typar and French drains

o Well-graded aggregate substituted by cheaper, coarse aggregate.

o Easy to install, very uniform.
o French drains without pipe.

b. Vertical drains

o Allows up to 10 times faster settlement of soil under static load.

o Faster removal of water in saturated compressible soils.
o More economical than conventional vertical sand drains.

c. Agricultural and pipe drains

o Corrugated pipe wrapped with Typar can be put into subsoil with or
without digging a trench.
o Drainage surface of corrugated pipe is increased up to 90 times.
o Influence zone of wrapped drain is higher.
o Drain spacing can be increased.
o Stiffness of Typar prevents fabric from entering the pipe corrugations.
 d. Blanket drains in roads, in sports fields

o Optimal drainage system.

o In sport fields, the thickness of cover soil can be reduced and the filtration
and anti-contamination. Effects avoid clogging of drainage blanket by soil
particles carried by rainwater.

e. Road and civil engineering drainage, side drains

o Optimal drainage system Automated installation equipment.

2. Erosion control
- Geotextiles can be used with riprap along steam banks, lake shores, and other
bodies of water to keep finer soils beneath the riprap from eroding.

3. Filtration
- In filtration, fabrics can be either woven or non-woven, to permit the passage of
water while retaining soil particles.
- Porosity and permeability are the major properties of geotextiles which involves
in filtration action.
- The application helps the replacement of graded aggregate filters by a geotextile
warping.
4. Separation
- Is the basic use of geotextiles and is widely practiced in road works and railway
construction.
- Geotextiles will prevent two soil layers of different particles size from mixing
with each other, yet allowing free movement of water. This will increase the
bearing capacity of the construction and provides long term stability foundation
layers.

5. Reinforcement
- Reinforcement provided by geotextile or geogrid allow embankments and roads to
be built over very weak soil and allow for steeper embankment to be built.
Applications and Advantages of using Geotextile in reinforcement:

a. Steep slopes

o Allows construction of steeper slopes.

o Savings in required land surface and fill material.

b. Retaining walls

o Most economical retaining wall system.

o Accommodates settlements better than traditional methods.

c. Waterworks, erosion control of earth dam slopes, river and lake embankments

o Replaces a conventional well-graded filter between soil to be protected and

gabion, rip-rap or concrete slabs revetments.
o Special care to anchor Typar at top and toe of the slope.
o For rip-rap revetment, install a layer of finer aggregate (5 to 10 cm) to protect
Typar against puncturing and to ensure good fabric-to-soil contact for
filtration.

d. Erosion control of sea embankments, ocean and bay shores

o Big rip-rap must be installed on a bed of small sized aggregate to protect

Typar against puncturing and to dissipate water forces. A single layer of fabric
held in place by big rip-rap cannot resist the tons of pressure of breaking
waves without this support.
o The bed of aggregate (5 to 10 cm) ensures a good fabric-to-soil contact for
efficient filtration.

e. Breakwater and jetties on soft soil sea bed

o Separation layer of Typar prevents rip-rap from sinking into soft soil.
o Typar must be protected by a layer of smaller-sized stones.

f. Land reclamation with hydraulic fill

o Separation and filtration layer of Typar avoids piping of hydraulic fill.

o Avoids use of expensive and difficult-to-install filter lay.

g. Embankments on compressible soil

o Avoids contamination of filter layer by subsoil and/or fill.

o Allows uniform settlement.
 Geotextile end uses and functions (examples)
End use/application Function
Roads (paved and Separation of subgrade and stone base
unpaved) Reinforcement: over soft soils
Airfields Separation of subgrade and stone base
Reinforcement: over soft soils and lateral containment
Railways Separation of subgrade and ballast
Reinforcement: over soft soils
Drainage beneath ballast
Embankments/steep Reinforcement and stabilisation of embankment soil
slopes Separation of embankment and foundation soil
Retaining walls Drainage behind walls
Reinforcement of constructed walls
Sports fields Separation of dissimilar materials
Earth and rock Separation of various zones
dams Reinforcement of the dam components
Chimney drain or drainage gallery
Erosion control Stabilisation of slopes by encouraging growth of vegetation and
reducing
water runoff speed Stabilisation of slopes by encouraging
growth of vegetation and reducing
water runoff speed
River banks Protection and stabilisation

GEOTEXTILE TEST

Reference Test Property Description of Test

Number
ASTM D1777 Thickness A specimen is placed on the base of a
thickness gage and a weighted presser
foot is lowered. The displacement
between the base and the presser foot
is measured as the thickness of the
specimen.
ASTM D3776 Mass per unit area The mass of a specimen of known
dimension is measured. Mass per unit
area is calculated.

ASTM D3786 bursting strength A sample is clamped over an

 expandable diaphragm which is then
expanded by fluid pressure until the
specimen is ruptured. The difference
between the total pressure required to
rupture the specimen and the pressure
required to inflate the diaphragm is
reported as the bursting strength.
ASTM D3787 bursting strength A sample is clamped between
grooved, circular plates of the ball
burst attachment secured to the pulling
jaw of the constant-rate-of-traverse
testing machine. A force is exerted
against the specimen by a polished,
hardened steel ball that is attached to
the pendulum-actuating clamp of the
machine until rupture occurs.
ASTM D4355 Degradation in breaking Five geotextile specimens in machine
strength and five in cross-machine direction are
exposed in a Xenon arc device for
each of the following times: 0, 150,
300 and 500 hours. Exposure consists
of 120 minute cycles as follows: 90
minutes of light only at 65 °C
uninsulated black panel temperature
and 50% relative humidity followed
by 30 minutes of light plus water
spray. After each exposure period is
complete, specimens are exposed to a
strip tensile test. The average breaking
strength in each direction is compared
to that of the original control
specimens. The percent strength
retained is plotted to produce a
degradation curve
ASTM D4491 Permittivity, Permittivity is determined by either a
Permeability constant or falling head test. Constant
Head Test—A head of 50 mm (2 in.)
of water is maintained on the
specimen throughout the duration of
the test. The quantity of flow is
measured versus time. The constant
head test is used when the flow rate of
water through the geotextile is so large
that it is difficult to obtain readings of
head change versus time in the falling
head test. Falling Head Test—A
 column of water is allowed to flow
through the geotextile and readings of
head changes versus time are taken.
The flow rate of water through the
geotextile must be slow enough to
obtain accurate readings

ASTM D4533 trapezoidal tearing An outline of an isosceles trapezoid is

strength marked on a rectangular specimen and
cut. A small tear is introduced on one
side of the specimen. The nonparallel
sides of the trapezoid marked on the
specimen are clamped in parallel jaws
of a tensile testing machine. The
separation of the jaws is initiated and
increased so the tear propagates across
the specimen. The force is measured
throughout the test.
ASTM D4595 tensile strength, An 8" wide specimen is gripped across
elongation, tensile its entire width in the clamps of a
modulus constant rate of extension (CRE) type
tensile testing machine operated at a
prescribed rate of extension applying a
longitudinal force to the specimen
until the specimen ruptures. Tensile
strength, elongation, initial and secant
modulus, and breaking toughness of
the test specimen can be calculated
from machine scales, dials, recording
charts, or an interfaced computer.
ASTM D4632 grab strength, elongation A continually increasing load is
applied longitudinally to the specimen
and the test is carried to rupture.
Values for the breaking load and
elongation of the test specimen are
obtained from machine scales or dials,
autographic recording charts, or
interfaced computers.
GEOTEXTILE INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:

Step 1: Prepare the installation area.

Step 2: Smooth and level the subgrade.

Step 3: Place the geotextile in the prepared installation area.

Step 4: Overlap adjacent rolls as specified for your site. If no instructions exist, fabric should
be overlapped at a minimum or 12-18 inches.

Sewing or Overlapping-

Soil CBR> 3 -Minimum overlap of 0.3 to 0.45 m

Soil CBR 1-3 -Minimum overlap of 0.6-1

Soil CBR< 0.5 - Must be sewn

Step 5: Secure the fabric with staples, pins, soil or other suitable materials.

Step 6: Loosely place fill directly on the geotextile in 8" to 12" lifts. For very weak
subgrades, 18" or thicker may be required.

Geotextiles Advantages

 Increased strength when compared with woven geotextiles that utilize the exact same
yarn. Because of this it is easier to lay the material on site and handling becomes
simpler. Labour costs and transportation costs are reduced.
 Tear strength is exceptionally high. If necessary, increased strength can be built right
into the weft. If not, you can always go for the regular geotextiles that are available at
a lower price tag.
 Strain can be taken on right after loading because of the straight incorporation system
of the geotextile.
 Additional fabric can be incorporated in order to form composite geotextile.

Disadvantages
 Properly installed matting provides excellent erosion control but do so at relatively
high cost.
 Geotextiles and mats may delay seed germination, due to reduction in soil
temperature.
 Plastic sheeting is easily vandalized, easily torn, photodegradable, and must be
disposed of at a landfill.
 Plastic result in 100% runoff, which may cause serious erosion problems in the areas
receiving the increased flow.
Video of Installation

Geotextile_Fabric_Laying_Process.mp4 (Command Line)

Reference:

https://www.erosionpollution.com/geotextile-installation.html
https://lerablog.org/business/industry/what-are-the-advantages-of-using-geotextiles/
https://www.geocomp.com/GeoTesting/Lab_Services_Geosynthetics_Geotextile
http://www.indiantextilejournal.com/articles/FAdetails.asp?id=5752
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWhoMhLmmGM