Experimental evaluation of one and two-directional wicking geotextile stabilized permeable base

Abstract

Incorporating wicking geotextiles significantly reduces the moisture levels in road bases under saturated and unsaturated conditions, improving the strength of granular materials and reducing water-related pavement damage. Despite the numerous well-documented applications of wicking geotextiles, most practical uses or research predominantly feature wicking fibers oriented in a single direction. Although theoretically incorporating multidirectional wicking fibers should enhance drainage efficiency, empirical studies on the impact of bidirectional fibers on geotextile drainage performance are scarce. A year-long comparative study was conducted in Shenzhen to examine the influence of fiber orientation. In this study, the moisture content in the aggregate base of a permeable sidewalk across three distinct test sections – single-directional, bidirectional, and no wicking geotextile – determined that two-directional wicking geotextiles are superior to their one-directional counterparts in reducing the volumetric water content in the granular base.