Geotextiles & Geosynthesis

[B]Geotextiles & Geosynthesis[/B] [B]Introduction:[/B] A geotextile is a synthetic permeable textile material used with soil, rock, or any other geotechnical engineering related material. Geotextiles, also called geosynthetics, are generally associated with high-standard all-season roads, but can be used in low-standard logging roads. Geotextiles extend the service life of roads, increase their load-carrying capacity, and reduce the incidence of ruts. These benefits are accomplished by separating aggregate structural layers from sub grade soil while allowing the passage of water (see description on Separation). Geotextiles should be considered for use on any section of road requiring an aggregate (rock) layer for surfacing. Geotextiles can reduce the amount of aggregate required, thus reducing the cost of the road, as well as providing the benefits described in the previous paragraph. For temporary road construction in environmentally sensitive areas, a biodegradable woven jute geotextile has been developed. This fabric wills totally biodegrade after one to two seasons, eliminating the need to remove a synthetic geotextile from under the roadbed. It is economical for use on roads that will be decommissioned after use (Moran 1997). There are many uses for geotextiles. The geotextile manufacturer can provide help in selecting the correct material for your specific situation. Rather than describe the many potential conditions under which they may be used, the principles governing their use are described in this section. These principles then can be considered in solving your particular drainage problem. For example, in erosion control application, rock or other riprap material may be placed over a geotextile along a stream bank as shown in Figure 29. The role of the total system is to prevent erosion of soil materials along the channel. The geotextile performs the specific function of filtration, allowing water in the soil to pass through the fabric while retaining the soil particles.