- Geotextile
Geotextiles are permeable
fabric s which, when used in association withsoil , have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain. Typically made frompolypropylene orpolyester , geotextile fabrics come in three basic forms: woven (looks like mail bag sacking), needle punched (looks like felt), or heat bonded (looks like ironed felt).As the use of geotextile fabrics has expanded, geotextile composites have been introduced and products such as geogrids and meshes have been developed. Overall, these materials are referred to as
geosynthetics and each configuration—- geonets, geogrids and others—- can yield certain benefits in geotechnical andenvironmental engineering design. These products have a wide range of applications and are currently used to advantage in manycivil engineering applications includingroad s,airfield s,railroad s,embankment s,retaining structure s,reservoir s,canal s,dam s,bank protection andcoastal engineering . Usually geotextiles will be placed at the tension surface as it will strengthen the soil.Geotextile can be used as an innovative way to improve soil strength, instead of the conventional manner using
soil nailing . It is believed that the cost to have it done is much cheaper. In addition, steep slopes can then be planted with vegetation to enhance the aesthetic value.To use geotextiles to reinforce a steep slope, two components have to be calculated:
#the tension required for equilibrium
#the appropriate layout of the geotextile reinforcementGeotextiles have been used to protect the fossil
hominid footprints ofLaetoli inTanzania fromerosion ,rain , andtree root s. [Renfrew, Colin and Paul Bahn, "Archaeology". 4th ed. New York: Thames 2004.]ee also
*
Hard landscape materials References
External links
* [http://www.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/686.htm Alberta Government site on Geotechnical and Erosion Control]
* [http://www.envirotechnicalsystems.com Enviro Technical Systems. Installation of geotextile and geomembrane products]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.