Performance evaluation of geotextiles as earth reinforcement in soil structures

Abstract

Among the construction activities, a well-connected road network is one of the basic infrastructure requirements, which plays a vital role for the fast and comfortable movement of inter-regional traffic in countries like India. One of the innovative ground improvement techniques practiced all over the world is the use of geosynthetics, which include geotextiles, geomembranes, geogrids, etc. They offer the advantages such as space saving, environmental sensitivity, material availability, technical superiority, higher cost savings, less construction time, etc. Because of its fundamental properties, such as tensile strength, filtering and water permeability, a geotextile inserted between the base material and sub grade can function as reinforcement, a filter medium, a separation layer and as a drainage medium. Though polymeric geotextiles are used in abundant quantities, the use of geotextiles (like which includes aramid, basalt, carbon, glass, and polypropylene etc.) has yet to get momentum. This is primarily due to the lack of research work on geotextiles for ground improvement. The proper utilization of geotextiles in various applications demands large quantities of the product, which in turn can create a boom in the industry. The present study aims at exploring the possibilities of utilizing geotextiles for soil stabilization works. The properties of geotextiles used have been evaluated. The properties studied include mass per unit area, thickness of fibre, tensile strength, tensile modulus, surface roughness etc. The properties of soil used in the study have been determined. It includes specific gravity, particle size distribution curve (sieve analysis), Proctor compaction test (Maximum dry density and optimum moisture content) and direct shear test (Shear strength of newline