Application Of Geotextiles Research Articles

The Effect of Surface Modified Coir Geotextiles on Environmental Resources

ABSTRACT Growing awareness on the environment has picked up momentum in the recent years. This has led the world towards the development of sustainable concepts and designs using locally available, natural materials. Natural fibers in the original as well as in the modified forms find immense applications in the field of engineering. Most of the surface modification compositions commonly adopted for the enhancement of fiber properties utilize harmful and expensive chemicals. This ultimately turns the fibers into potential source of leachates. The possibility of leachate formation and its effect on the environment need to be investigated in the case of surface-modified natural geotextiles. The effect of a newly devised surface modification formulation for coir geotextiles on the surrounding environment under various experimental conditions has been studied. The results of the study confirm that the coating is toxic-free and eco-friendly in terms of chemical concentrations and microbial growth. The promising results obtained from this study indicate the possibility of application of surface-modified geotextiles as a sustainable solution for a wide range of geotechnical engineering problems.

Bio-clogging mitigation in the leachate collection system of municipal solid waste landfill using graphene oxide-coated geotextiles

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was coated in geotextiles (GO-GT) to evaluate its potential for bio-clogging mitigation in the leachate collection system (LCS) of a landfill. Results showed that GO coating enhanced the surface hydrophilicity of geotextile. Bacterial experiments revealed that dead cells in the bio-clogging increased to 68.7% with GO-GT, compared to that in the GT (44.0%). After 136 days of operation, the GO-GT reduced the bio-clogging by decreasing the total amount of bacteria and the percentage of living bacteria. The total amount of extracellular polymeric substances in the GO-GT and GT was 22.8 ± 4.4 and 52.8 ± 4.8 mg/g of volatile suspended solids, respectively. Microbial analysis showed that Limnochordia and Symbiobacteriia were the most sensitive groups, with a decreased percentage in the GO-GT. Electrostatic repulsion and surface wrinkling were attributed to the attenuation effect on the GO-GT. These results imply the potential application of GO-coated geotextile for reducing bio-clogging in landfill LCS.

Effect of process parameters on properties of polypropylene and kenaf fibres needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles

Effects of stroke frequency, depth of needle penetration and mass per unit area on properties of needle-punched nonwoven fabrics produced from polypropylene (PP), 50/50 PP/kenaf and kenaf fibres have been studied. Properties of fabrics, such as tensile strength, puncture resistance, pore size, water permeability and transmissivity are analysed. Results obtained show that the higher tensile strength and puncture resistance are achieved in fabrics produced from kenaf fibres at higher stroke frequency, depth of needle penetration and mass per unit area. Fabrics produced from kenaf fibres can be employed in geotextile applications, since they also possess bigger pore size and higher water permeability.

Experimental Study of Application of Natural Geotextiles for Strength upgrade of Soil for Flexible Pavement

Experimental Study of Application of Natural Geotextiles for Strength upgrade of Soil for Flexible Pavement

Review of Application and Innovation of Geotextiles in Geotechnical Engineering.

Most geotextiles consist of polymers of polyolefin, polyester or polyamide family, which involve environmental problems related to soil pollution. Geotextiles can be used for at least one of the following functions: Separation, reinforcement, filtration, drainage, stabilization, barrier, and erosion protection. Due to the characteristics of high strength, low cost, and easy to use, geotextiles are widely used in geotechnical engineering such as soft foundation reinforcement, slope protection, and drainage system. This paper reviews composition and function of geotextiles in geotechnical engineering. In addition, based on literatures including the most recent data, the discussion turns to recent development of geotextiles, with emphasis on green geotextiles, intelligent geotextiles, and high-performance geotextiles. The present situation of these new geotextiles and their application in geotechnical engineering are reviewed.

Application of Coir Geotextiles in Rural Roads of India

Worldwide, there is continuous search for finding new materials for use in civil/geotechnical Engineering practice. This paper presents the emergence of one such material known as coir geotextiles. Efforts have been made to present the significant technological developments that have taken place in the evolution of coir geotextiles, particularly for application in low-volume roads. This paper summarizes the various studies conducted to evaluate the potential of coir geotextiles through extensive laboratory model studies and field trials.

Application of geotextiles in strengthening soft soil foundation

Application of geotextiles in strengthening soft soil foundation

Tensile characteristics of sisal and polypropylene fibre non-woven materials for geo-textile applications

The objective of this study is to analyse the cross direction tensile properties of composite non-woven fabrics. Three different blend proportion, that is, 20% sisal/80% polypropylene, 80% sisal/20...

Application of Wool Geotextiles for the Protection of Steep Slopes

Wool geotextiles in a form of meandrically arranged thick ropes were used for the protection of a drainage ditch bank and the steep slope in a gravel pit. Right after installation, the geotextiles provided immediate protection against water erosion and land sliding. Then, during the exploitation on the slopes the geotextiles gradually degraded. The biodegradation caused the reduction of the mechanical parameters and led to biological damage of the geotextiles. In the second vegetation season, the compounds released through the wool biodegradation supported the rapid growth of protective vegetation. The vegetation gradually took over the protective function of the geotextiles.

Applications of geotextiles made of PET-filament-based nonwoven fabrics

Climate change has been occuring in recent years. The extraordinary changes lead to high temperatures, floods, and typhoons that become a significant threat to people’s lives and property. Therefore, engineering methods have become important, as they decrease the level of people’s loss caused by natural disasters. Synthetic fibers have been commonly used in geotechnical engineering field since their invention, and are now widely available. Whether geotextiles are made using fabrics or nonwoven fabrics, water permeability and appropriate strength are their indispensable properties in reinforcement, separation, filtration, drainage, and protection. In this study, polyester (PET) filaments and nonwoven fabrics are combined using hot pressing, during which different weight amounts of filament are used. The composites are tested for delamination strength, tensile strength, tear strength, burst strength, and puncture strength to characterize the filament-based geotextiles. The experimental results show that a high needle punching depth has a negative influence on the strengths of geotextiles. Moreover, the geotextiles exhibit the optimal tensile and tearing strength when they are hot pressed at 170 °C, and optimal burst strength and puncture strength when they are hot pressed at 180 °C.

Surface Modification of Coir Fibers for Extended Hydrophobicity and Antimicrobial Property for Possible Geotextile Application

Experimental investigations are conducted to study the effectiveness of protective coating with cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) on coir. CNSL solution has been applied on suitably pretreated coir yarns and coating concentrations are optimized to reduce moisture absorption and microbial growth. Two common cellulose and lignin degrading fungi (Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer) have been taken as test organisms. Qualitative and quantitative analyses are carried out to measure fungal growth on untreated and treated fibers. The study shows that treated fibers inhibit the development of fugal growth on fiber surface by 95%. The reduced moisture absorption and improved hydrophobicity of the treated yarns are also reported. Increase in tensile strength up to 17% is noticed. The better properties achieved are explained on the basis of selection of the coating methodology and also the interfacial features of the coatings with the coir fiber. The results indicate the possibility of future application of such treated fibers in geotextiles having better performance compared to the untreated counterparts.

Effectiveness of geotextiles for road slope protection under simulated rainfall

Geotextiles are used to control soil losses in civil engineering. The effects of geotextiles on runoff and soil erosion have been documented; however, the conditions studied to date have been limited and are insufficient for the optimization of the selection and application of geotextiles for other sites. As a result, systematic studies of various rainfall intensities are still required. In this study, four geotextiles (coir blanket—CB, mixed coir and straw blanket—MCSB, straw blanket—SB and nonwoven fabric—NB) and a bare control group were examined under simulated rainfall events. Four rainfall intensities (24, 47, 71 and 93 mm h−1) were simulated for 60 min. The plots used in this experiment were 200 cm long by 100 cm wide by 40 cm deep at a slope gradient of 70 %. The tested soil was sandy loam, which is a primary soil type in northern China. The results show that geotextiles are more effective for soil loss control than for runoff control, especially in the case of stronger rainfall events. The effectivenesses of the geotextiles at reducing runoff and soil erosion decrease with increasing rainfall intensity; the geotextiles are most effective under moderate rainfall intensity levels. NB is the most effective geotextile for reducing runoff, while it reduces soil loss only below a rainfall intensity level of 47 mm h−1. The natural geotextiles can reduce both runoff and soil erosion. For runoff control, SBs are more effective than MCSB, followed by CBs. For soil erosion control, CBs are the most effective, followed by MCSBs and then SBs.

IMPROVEMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SABKHA SOIL OF SAUDI ARABIA: A REVIEW

Sabkha is an inferior and indigenous type of soil which forms widely in the Arabian Gulf and in many parts of Saudi Arabia, especially in the coastal areas. Several studies over the last 25 years have been conducted to develop a better understanding and characterization of Sabkha soil and to improve its strength and durability. Different studies from different perspectives, different geographical locations, and particular types were discussed with specific treatment for its improvement. The main purpose of this study is to conclude Saudi Arabian Sabkha Soil characteristics, its associated problems, and to recapitulate the current technologies and practices for the improvement of it. The relative advantages and some of the drawbacks of currently available techniques have also been discussed. Scope and future development regarding this field have also been summarized. Preloading technique was found to be effective for stabilization and consolidation of Sabkha soil over longer period of time. Another study revealed characterizing Saudi Arabian Sabkha soil using seismic refraction technique. Other comparative research was studied which focused on the improvement of Sabkha soil for road construction using geotextile and cement additives. The results suggest that both of the techniques have similar effect on the improvement of subgrade but the geotextile application is more economical as compared to others. Geotextile (grade A-400) with greater strength and thickness exhibits higher load carrying capability which leads to less deformation settlement on the subgrade.

Study of the effect of different weave constructions on the drapeability of jute woven fabric

The growing global concern for environment on one hand and the alarming danger of carbon footprint generation along with non-biodegradability and higher toxicity generation from the use of synthetic fibres on the other have created a dire need to come back to natural fibres. During the application of fabrics at the sites for geotextile application and even in designing garments in the apparel sector, it has been observed that the ability of the fabric to assume a graceful appearance of the contour is very crucial in conveying the significance of drapeability of the natural fibre-made fabric. An attempt has been made in this work to evaluate the effect of different weave constructions on the drapeability of jute-woven fabrics to justify their application on the sites.

Influence of Polyester Resin Treatment on Jute Fabrics for Geotextile Applications

In this study, jute woven fabrics (1 × 1 plain, twill, zigzag and diamond weave) were manufactured from 100% raw jute yarn. The fabric specimens were treated by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% unsaturated polyester resin where styrene monomer used as a solvent and 1% methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) was used as initiator. Two bar pressure was applied for complete wetting of the fabric by a Padder and curing was done at 130?C for 10 minutes. The physico-mechanical characteristics of untreated and treated samples were examined and evaluated. It was revealed that moisture content (MC) and water absorbency of the treated specimens were decreased with the increase of resin percentage (%) in the fabrics. MC and water absorbency were maximum decreased up to 50.23% and 60.14% respectively by 25% resin treatment. On the other hand, bending length (BL), flexural rigidity (FR), flexural modulus (FM) and tensile strength (TS) were enhanced with the increase of resin percentage in the fabrics which resulted higher fabric stiffness. The maximum improvement of BL, FR, FM and TS were found to be 6.67%, 56.04%, 10.57% and 18.75% respectively in comparison to untreated sample. Soil degradation tests exhibited that 33.59% TS loss occurred for untreated specimens where only 8.04% loss of TS found for 25% resin treated one. Furthermore, jute based twill, zigzag and diamond fabrics were also treated by 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% resin, then measured their TS and compared with plain fabrics. It was revealed that plain fabrics have superior TS over other fabrics. It was also evident that TS enhanced for all the fabrics after resin treatment and maximum increase found for all the fabrics up to 25% resin treatment.

Laboratory Studies on Granular Filters and Their Relationship to Geotextiles for Stormwater Pollutant Reduction

Applications of geotextiles within tertiary stormwater treatment systems and for stormwater infiltration can provide a substrate for biofilm formation, enabling biological treatment of contaminants. Geotextiles can serve as an efficient part of stormwater filtration within the urban water environment. The project assessed the applications of three experimental granular filters as a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) for the decomposition of organic pollutant loading present in stormwater. The three filter rigs were packed with alternating layers of filter media consisting of gravel, pea gravel, sand and either a single, double or no layer of geotextile membrane. A nonwoven geotextile was layered within the filter media. The hydraulic loading capacity for the three filters matched that commonly used with conventional sand filters systems. Water quality parameters were quantified by measuring suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate-nitrogen, and phosphate concentrations. It was found that Filter Rig No. 3 (upper and lower geotextile membrane) and Filter Rig No. 2 (single geotextile membrane) had a significant statistical difference in treatment performance from Filter Rig No. 1 (no geotextile membrane).

Investigating the influence of geotextile layers as biofilm granular filters to treat stormwater

This study investigated the application of geotextiles as sustainable urban drainage systems for degradation of organic pollutant load present in stormwater. Three experimental granular filter rigs were used, packed with alternating layers made up of gravel, pea gravel, sand and either an upper layer, an upper and lower layer or no layer of geotextile. The hydraulic loading capacity matched that commonly used on conventional sand filters. Standard water quality parameters were measured and collated data was evaluated using an ANOVA and Levine's test of homogeneity of variance procedure. It was found that the rig with both upper and lower geotextiles had a statistically significant difference in data from the rig with only a single geotextile layer. High chemical oxygen demand (58–80%) and suspended solids (88–99.99%) removal rates occurred for all rigs. However, the control rig showed increased outflow concentration of nutrients indicating the potential of geotextiles for stormwater treatment.

Simulation of Safe Height Embankment on Soft Ground Using Plaxis

Industrial development in Malaysia has rapidly increased, there are many construction projects has been carried out. Referring to the above, it can cause reducing the construction area. In this situation, nowadays many construction need to be constructed on the soft ground. When construction is done on soft ground, the problem is it will give a week foundation due to increasing of settlement and also directly, it can cause construction costs to be high. They construct the embankment to control the settlement of the soil but, the settlement still occurs during and after filling the embankment. They are many methods to improve the ground, one of the way is by using geosynthetic product which is geotextile. The aim of this paper is to determine the safe height of embankment constructed on soft ground through application of geotextile as soil reinforcement. The geotextile with various geotextile reinforcement spacing were applied in an embankment. The height of embankment placed on soft ground was about 3 to 5 m height. To know those effects, software PLAXIS Version 8.2 was used to analyses the embankment. From the analysis, it can be concluded that the safe height of the case embankment was 4.9 m and the spacing of geotextile was less than 1 m. Result for the embankment case study is as expected (Pass), because the specifications on case study is better than the critical condition of the analysis.

Recycling Nonwoven Fabric and Polypropylene Selvage to Create Composite Fabric

Two layers of 7.0 D polyester (PET) nonwoven fabric enclosing polypropylene (PP) selvage were needle punched and thermally bonded to form a compound base cloth. This manufacturing technique not only reuses selvage, creating an environmentally friendly material, but also increases the mechanical strength of the compound geotextile. When the base cloth weighed 150 g/m2, it displayed optimal mechanical properties, with a selvage content of 10 % and a thermal bonding temperature of 220 °C. The linear velocity of the thermal compress roll was 0.5 m/min and its needle punch density was 400 punches/cm2. Its tensile and tear strength and geotextile application were evaluated by the ASTM D4632 and ASTM D4533 test standards.

Biological geotextiles as a tool for soil moisture conservation

AbstractGeotextiles have an important influence on soil moisture conditions. It is well known that the application of geotextiles increases soil moisture content of the soil, but there is a lack of information on how the different mats keep the soil moisture. The objective of this paper is to present the effect of biological geotextiles on soil moisture dynamics of the topsoil and to compare the effectiveness of various geotextiles in conserving soil moisture as well as comparing their role in soil moisture dynamics in the different climatic zones. Soil moisture measurements were carried out in the framework of the BORASSUS project at six study sites in Brazil, China, Hungary, Lithuania, Thailand and Vietnam. Soil moisture was measured by gravimetric method. All together six different kinds of biological geotextiles (Borassus, Buriti, Bamboo, Jute, Maize and Rice) and one synthetic geotextile were used. To study soil moisture dynamics of the geotextiles applied in Hungary 1000 cm3soil monoliths were covered by Jute, Buriti and Borassus mats. The effects of natural rainfall events on soils and geotextiles were examined in detail. According to the results of this paper there is not much difference concerning the effect of biological geotextiles made from various materials on soil moisture conservation. There are, however, remarkable differences in conserving soil moisture according to the geographical location of the study sites. The favourable effect of geotextiles on soil moisture conservation could be statistically justified if annual precipitation amount is over 700 mm and the annual temperature range is below 28°C. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.