Geosynthetics

Presented by:
G.Mahendranath
 Introduction

• What are Geosynthetics?

• Why would we want to use them?

• How should we use them?

 What are Geosynthetics?
 Geosynthetics are human-made materials
made from various types of polymers used
to enhance, augment and make possible cost
effective environmental, transportation and
geotechnical engineering construction
projects. They are used to provide one or
more of the following functions;
separation, reinforcement, filtration,
drainage or liquid barrier.
 What Are Geosynthetics
A planar, polymeric (synthetic or natural)
material used in contact with soil/rock
and/or any other geotechnical material,
for Filtration, Drainage, Separation,
Reinforcement, Protection, Sealing and
Packing.
 Categories of geosynthetics:

 Geotextile
 Geogrid
 Geocomposite
 Geomembranes
 Geonets
 Geocells
Geotextiles:-
Flexible, textile-like fabrics of controlled
permeability used to provide filtration,
separation or reinforcement in soil, rock
and waste materials.
Woven and non woven
Geotextile
Geogrids:-
Stiff or flexible polymer grid-like sheets
with large apertures used primarily as
reinforcement of unstable soil and waste
masses
Types of Geogrids
• Geogrids
- Extruded
- Knitted or Woven
Extruded & Woven Geogrid
Geocomposites:-
Hybrid systems of any, or all, of the above
geosynthetic types which can function as
specifically designed for use in soil, rock,
waste and liquid related problems.
Geomembranes:-
Essentially impermeable polymeric sheets
used as barriers for liquid or solid waste
containment.
Geonets:-
Stiff polymer net-like sheets with in-plane
openings used primarily as a drainage
material within landfills or in soil and rock
masses.
Geocells:-
A three-dimensional, permeable,polymeric
(synthetic or natural) honeycomb or web
structure, made of strips of geotextiles,
geogrids or geomembranes linked
alternatingly and used in contact with
soil/rock and/or any other geotechnical
material in civil engineering applications.
Geosynthetics – the functions
 Separation
 Drainage
 Filtration
 Reinforcement
 Moisture barrier
 Cushion
Geosynthetics
 They generally replace scarce raw material
resources like steel/cement/aggregates
 They are good alternatives to conventional
designs
 They are, sometimes, the only means of
construction
 They can be rapidly installed
 They can revitalise textile industries ???
Geosynthetics
 Modern civil engineering construction
materials
 Modify/Improve soil/geologic material
behaviour
 Developed/Synthesized for specific
function or application in construction
 More than 1billion sq m annual use
 Geosynthetics – The Indian
Scenario
 Teaching at IITD 1986
 Research at IITD 1987
 Field trials in India and first use in India -
Late 1980’S
 Extensive Dissemination at Workshops, short
courses etc
 Regular use in India --- late 1990’s
 Now, well proven for reinforced walls &
pavements
 High potential for other applications
 Information Sources
 CBIP – ICOLD, Geosynthetics in Dam Engineering
(Eds.Varma, C. V. J; Rao, A. R. G;Venkatappa Rao,G.) 1995
 CBIP – Use of Geosynthetics in India – Experiences
and Potential, A State of Art Report (Eds. Venkatappa
Rao, g.; Saxena, K. R. ) Pub. No. 209, 1989
 ICOLD – Water-tight Geomembranes for Dams – State
of Art, Bulletin No. 78, 1991
 IGS - Geosynthetics Case Histories (Eds. Raymond, G.
P.; Giroud, J. P. ) 1993
 Venkatappa Rao, G. , Erosion Control with
Geosynthetics, CBIP , 1995
 Engineering with Geosythetics (Eds. Venkatappa Rao, G;
Suryanarayana Raju, G. V. S.) Tata McGraw Hill, 1990
 CONCLUSIONS:-
This paper presented recent advances in
geosynthetic products, on the utilization of
these materials in reinforced soil structures
and in environmental applications.

Manufacturing of geosynthetics products

allows incorporating recent advances in
material sciences.
THANK YOU