INTRODUCTION

TO
GEOSYNTHETICS
 INTRODUCTION
 Better Infrastructure:
 Development of Economy and socially
backward areas
 Diverse Topographical Regions
 Various site conditions
 Ensure Safety
 Timely Deliver of Goods and Commodities
 Simple to execute
 Economical
 Long – term Performance

NEED MORE ATTENTION !

 INTRODUCTION TO GEOSYNTHETICS

Geosynthetics – a planar product manufactured

from polymeric materials used with rock, earth, or
other geotechnical engineering related material as
an integral part of a human-made project,
structure, or system.
INTRODUCTION TO GEOSYNTHETICS

Functions:
– Separation
– Filtration
– Reinforcement
– Drainage
– Containment
 P
PRODUCT RANGEP
PRODCT

ppMattresses
• Steel Wire Gabions and
RANGEP
• Polymer Rope Gabions and Mattresses
• Steel Wire Rope Nets
• Woven Multifilament /mono filament/fibrulated tapes
Geotextiles
• Non woven textiles-
needlepunched/thermallybonded/chemicallybonded
• Geomat (Mulch mat)
• Prefabricated Vertical Drain
 PRODUCT RANGE

• Geogrids – Uniaxial and Biaxial

• Extruded and oriented/ punched and
oriented/Woven/knitted etc
• HDPE Geomembranes
• Geosynthetic Clay Liners
• Geonets
• Geocomposites
• Geocell/Geofoams/geopipes/Mesh
elements
 PRODUCT RANGE
Gabions PVD
Steel Wire Polymer Rope

Anco Drain
Garmat® Steel Wire Rope Net
 PRODUCT RANGE
Geogrids Geotextiles
(Uniaxial &Biaxial) Nonwoven Woven

Geonet Geosynthetic Geomembranes

Clay Liners
 Classification of Geotextiles

Geotextiles

Knitted Woven Nonwoven Composite

Mono Multi Slit Staple Fibres Continuous

filament filament Film Filaments

Weave Stitch
Pattern Chemically Thermally Mechanically
Bonded Bonded Bonded Bonded

Un Chemically Heat Un Heat Chemically

Stabilized Stabilized Treated Modified Treated Treated
 Types of Woven Geotextile

Woven Mono-filament Woven Mono-filament

(Calendered)

Woven Multi-filament Woven Slit film tape woven

[Courtesy : Robert M. Koerner, Designing With Geosynthetics]

M. Venkataraman, GWRL
 SCOPE OF GEOSYNTHETICS IN
INFRASTRUCTURE APPLICATIONS
 APPLICATIONS

 ROADS

 RIVER TRAINING AND FLOOD CONTROL

WORKS/COASTAL PROTECTION/PORTS &
HARBOURS

 ROCKFALL PROTECTION

 EROSION CONTROL

 GROUND IMPROVEMENT
 APPLICATIONS contd
• EROSION CONTROL
• SLOPE PROTECTION/LANDSLIDE CONTROL
• LANDFILL &ENVIORMENTAL APPLICATIONS
 ROADS
ROADS
Retaining Structures
 Reinforced Soil Systems
• Reinforced Soil Wall
• Reinforced Soil Slope
 Gabion Retaining Systems

Pavements
 New Pavements
 Existing Pavements

Erosion Control

Rockfall Protection
 ROADS
ROADS
• Products:
– Steel Wire Gabions and Mattresses
– Uniaxial and Biaxial Geogrids
– Steel Strips
– Woven & Nonwoven Geotextile
– Erosion Mats
– Geocell
– Paving Fabric
 RIVER TRAINING AND FLOOD
RIVER CONTROL WORKS
TRAINING &FLOOD PROTECTION
 Structures:
• Bank Protection
• Groynes
• Bund Construction
• Breach Closure
• Diversion Structures
• Pier Protection
 RIVER TRAINING AND FLOOD
CONTROL
RIVER TRAINING &FLOOD WORKS
CONTROL WORKS

 Products:
• Steel Wire Gabions and Mattresses
• Polymer Rope bions and Mattresses
• GEOTEXTILEBAGS Bags, tubes and
Containers
• Geotextile Sand Mattresses
• Woven & Nonwoven Geotextile
 ROCKFALL PROTECTION
ROCKFALL PROTECTION
Products:

– Galvanized Steel Wire Rope Nets

– Hexagonal Double Twisted Wire Mesh Netting

– Boulder Arresters
 GROUND IMPROVEMENT
GROUND IMPROVEMENT
STRUCTURES
 Embankment
 Container Stacking Yard
 Ports & Harbors

• Products
 Geogrids
 Geocell
 Prefabricated Vertical Drains
 Woven & Nonwoven Geotextiles
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
 Properties :
Polymer Composition, Structure & Physical
Properties
Mechanical Properties
Hydraulic Properties
Survivability

Installation Practices

UV Resistance

M.Venkataraman, GWRL.
 TECHNICAL
TEHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
SPECIFICATION
Eg: Reinforcement Application
It is more relevant to specify long-term strength & strength
at 2% and 5% strain rather than Ultimate Strength

Reinforcement - 1
Load
(kN/m) Reinforcement - 2

2 5
Strain (%)
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Eg: As per IRC:SP:59-2002 :-
Separation & AOS = 0.6 mm, Max. Value
Filtration functions Permittivity = 0.02 Sec-1,
(unsaturated soils) Min. Value

 Subsequently, specifies minimum strength requirements

(Type I, II and III) for a geotextile depending on
Installation Damage

Any geotextile with satisfies the criteria can be selected

M.Venkataraman, GWRL.
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Application Functions Products Main Properties
Roads, Woven &
Separation & AOS &
Retaining Nonwoven
Filtration Permittivity
Walls Geotextile
Nonwoven AOS
Roads,
Geotextile &
Retaining Drainage
(needle- In – plane
Walls
punched) permeability
Roads, Woven Creep strength &
Reinforced Geotextile Secant Moduli
Reinforcement
Wall & & Uniaxial @2% and 5 %
Embankments Geogrids strain
M.Venkataraman, GWRL.
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Application Functions Products Main Properties
Pavements - -Secant Moduli @
Stabilization & 2% & 5 % strain
Biaxial and
- Aperture Stability
Railways - Reinforcement Triaxial
- Junction Stiffness
Trackbed Geogrids
- Manufacturing
Stabilization Process
-Manufacturing
Process
Landfill & Geomem - Raw Material
Impervious
Lining -brane - Thickness Tolerance
- MFI & OIT
- Width of the Roll

M.Venkataraman, GWRL.
GEOSYNTHETICS IN NEW PAVEMENTS
 PAVEMENT
PAVEMENT
Pavement is a structure that carries vehicular loading

Bituminous Layer

Granular Layer

Subgrade

PAVEMENT COMPONENTS
 PAVEMENT FAILURES
PAVEMENT FAILURES
 PAVEMENT FAILURES
PAVEMENT FAILURES

Loss in aggregate layer thickness Mud Pumping

due to weak subgrade conditions
 STABILIZATION
STABILISATION
1.Subgrade Improvement 2. Base Reinforcement

Bituminous
Layers

Geosynthetics Voids Base

Subgrade soil
Prevention of Aggregate Penetration and Mud
Pumping

Biaxial Geogrid and Geotextile

 Reduction in Granular Layer Thickness

30-50%
Sub-base x
Geogrids/ High
Strength Geotextile
 ADVAAATAGES

 Reduction in Layer Thicknesses (Reinforced)

 Use of local materials

 Access and vehicle movement on weak subgrade soil

 Less Construction Time

 Minimum use of Natural resources (Aggregates)

 Ensured Performance through out the design life of

pavement
 Installation is easy and simple
 INSTALLATION
INSTALLATION
 INSTALLATION
INSTALLATION
GEOSYNTHETICS IN REHABILITATION OF
EXISTING PAVEMENTS
 TYPICAL PROBLEMS IN
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

Fatigue Failure in
Asphalt Layer: Cracking

Reflective cracking of overlays

 TYPICAL PROBLEMS IN
TYPICAL PROBLEMS
ASPHALT PAVEMENTS

Rutting

Cracks due to road widening

 THE SOLUTION
SOLUTION

UNREINFORCED REINFORCED
 PRODUCTS

Typical Types of Asphalt Reinforcement

• Paving Fabrics
• AR-grids/ Glass grids/composits
• Glasstex

These types offer the basic solution for most

problems - if selected and applied correctly.
 INSTALLATION
Installation

Direct installation on emulsion layer

 Ground Improvement, Vizag Airport

Using Woven
Geotextile
and PVD’s

Woven Sand 100mm

Geotextile
Sand
400mm

Working Moorum
Platform 500mm

Band Drains
(polypropylene)
100mm x 3.3mm @
2m C/C in Triangular
Fashion
M. Venkataraman, GWRL
STEEL WIRE GABIONS /POLYMER GABION
AND APPLICATIONS
 MECHANICALLY WOVEN DOUBLE TWISTED
MECHNICALLY WOVEN MESH
HEXAGONAL HEXAGONAL
MESH
Properties of Wire:

Two Types:
a) Zn coating only
b) Zn + PVC coating
(For use in aggressive
environments)
 MECHANICALLY WOVEN DOUBLE TWISTED
HEXAGONAL MESH

Manufactured by twisting continuous

pairs of wires through three one-half turns
(commonly called double twisted) to form
hexagonal shaped mesh openings.
MECHANICALLY WOVEN DOUBLE
TWISTED HEXAGONAL MESH
 GABIONS - SIMPLE AND EASY
INSTALLATION

Assembly of a Typical Gabion Box:

 FEATURES OF WIRE MESH

 100% Quality assured as per International Standards

 Non ravelling type of Mesh – The twist doesn’t unravel even in
case, the wire gets cut accidentally, thereby maintaining the
structural integrity
 Excellentdistribution of stresses due to the unique “Hexagonal”
shape of the wire mesh
 Selvedging – The mesh panels are provided with a thicker wire
at the edges of the mesh by mechanically wrapping the mesh
wire 2 and ½ times. Selvedge / Edge wire provide greater
rigidity and shape to the gabion boxes / mattresses / netting.
 A Uniform Opening size and a tight mesh.
 APPLICATIONS USING STEEL WIRE
GABIONS AND MATTRESSES

Slope Retention works at Multi-Tiered Gabion Retaining Wall

Sakleshpur, Mysore Division at MRPL, Mangalore

Retaining Wall at Lanjigarh,

Orissa Gabion Retaining Wall, Kolhapur
 APPLICATIONS USING STEEL WIRE
GABIONS AND MATTRESSES

Flood Protection Wall at Rander, Flood Protection Works, Mula

Surat River, Pune

Jetty, Gujarat Bank Protection Works, Gujarat

APPLICATIONS USING STEEL WIRE
GABIONS AND MATTRESSES

Use of Geotextile bags as fill material in

Gabion Mattresses - Teesta
 POLYMER ROPE GABIONS

 Gabions are Prefabricated Collapsible boxes

 Features:
Material : Poly Propylene Rope
Rope Dia. : 9 / 10 / 12 / 16 mm
Dimensions:
Length = 1 m to 4 m
Width = 1 m
Height = 0.3 m to 1 m
Aperture Size : 100 to 150 mm
Fill Material : Stones / Sand filled Geotextile Bags
 POLYMER ROPE GABIONS

Specifications :
 Material : Poly Propylene

 Rope Dia. : 9 / 10 / 12 / 16 mm

 Square Aperture Size : 100 mm and 150 mm

 Tensile Strength of Ropenet : 8.0 t to 32 t

 Punching Strength : 4.0 t to 15.0 t

 Durability: Tarred and Untarred rope gabions

 ADVANTAGES

Resistant to acidic and alkaline environment

Resistance against degradation from UV rays

Excellent durability

High flexibility

Immediate dissipation of hydrostatic pressure

Absorbs impact of dynamic wave forces

High tensile strength and abrasion resistance

 COMPARISON

Basis RCC Structure Gabion Structure

Cost Costly Cost Effective (>30%)

Speed Slow and Tedious Rapid and simple

Flexibility Highly Rigid Flexible

Non permeable Highly permeable (No

Permeability ( Weep holes are pore pressure buildup
required) behind structure)
Good sub soil It absorbs deformation
Foundation
condition required because of flexibility
Aesthetic Very difficult Eco friendly
ROCKFALL PROTECTION WORKS
ROCKFALL PROTECTION SYSTEM

SCHEMATIC SKETCH OF THE

ROCK FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM
 ROCKFALL PROTECTION WORKS

Adoshi Tunnel, Mumbai Pune Expressway

 ROCKFALL PROTECTION WORKS

Khandala Tunnel, KK Line, East Coast Railway

Mumbai Pune Expressway
EROSION CONTROL
 SOIL EROSION

 Soil erosion is a natural process which occurs due to

detachment and movement of top soil by the action of wind
and flowing water
 Natural turfing does not provide required superior
performance
 Erosion control measures:
 Garmat® on Slopes upto 45º
 Jute/ Coirmat on Slopes upto 45º
 Geocell on Slopes upto 80º
EROSION CONTROL USING GARMAT®

Before After

Mahanadi Coal Fields, Talcher Orissa

 GGGGGGG

 Fill materials:
- Soil (both cohesion and cohesionless)
- Aggregates
- Concrete
 APPLICATIONS OF GEOCELL

Erosion protection Slope Stabilization Retaining wall

Stream / channel protection Access Roads/Railroad Ballast

APPLICATIONS OF GEOCELL

Pavement Subgrade Stabilization

 LANDFILL
• MUNNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
• HAZARDOUS WASTE
• CAPPING/CLOSURE OF LANDFILL
 PRODUCTS
• ALL GEOSYNTHETIC MATERIALS
• GEOMEMBRANE & GEOCOMPOSITS
LANDFILL COMPONENTS
 HEIGHT RAISING OF JAROSITE POND - DEBARI

Typical cross-section of 6.0 m high reinforced embankment

Typical cross-section of 14.0 m high reinforced embankment

 HAZARDOUS LANDFILL – POND 1 & 2, HZL VIZAG

Courtesy: Garware-Wall Ropes Ltd., Pune

 HAZARDOUS LANDFILL – POND 1 & 2, HZL VIZAG

Courtesy: Garware-Wall Ropes Ltd., Pune

GEOTEXTILE CONTAINERS AND ITS APPLICATIONS
 GEOTEXTILE BAGS

FEATURES

Material : Woven Geotextile

Type : Pillow-shape or box-shape
Dimensions:
Length = 0.5 m to 3 m
Width = varies
Height = varies
Fill Material : Sand / Soil

Geotextile type: GWF 40-220, GWF 80-350, GWF 100-400

 APPLICATIONS USING GEOTEXTILE
TUBES AND CONTAINERS

Geotextile Tube Sea Wall at Erosion Protection Work at Malad,

Uppada, A.P. Mumbai

Reclamation using Geotextile

Containers at Hazira
 SAND MATTRESS

 Two layers of geotextile stitched together

Fill Material : Sand / Soil

Dimensions:
Length & width as per
site conditions

Thickness: 50 mm

Geotextile type: GWF 40-220, GWF 52-240

 Thank You
M.VENKATARAMAN, M.Tech
Geosynthetics & Geotechnical Consultant.
Vice President
Indian Chapter of International Geosynthetics Society.

Tel : +91 044 2224 5331

Mob : +91 9326018016/ 9921093928
E-mail : mvenkataraman2000@yahoo.com
venkataramanm2000@gmail.com