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ROLE OF GEOSYNTHICS IN STONE COLUMN

Geosynthetics is a generic term which includes geotextiles, geomembranes, geogrids, geonets,


and geocomposites and all other similar materials used by civil engineers to improve or modify
soil or rock behavior. Geosynthetics have found on import place in engineering and construction
Projects. They have become an integral part of the solution to many civil engineers problem.
The various geosynthetics products assure the complete range of quality. Geosynthetics have
increasingly provided solution where no other techniques are economically viable. This has led
to the use of geosynthetic in an increasing arry of sophisticated and long term structures.
1.5.1 TYPES OF GEOSYNTHETICS

Geotextiles

Geomembranes

Geogrids

Geonets

Geocomposites

Steel reinforcement

1.5.1.1 GEOTEXTILES
Woven geotextiles are from polypropylene multifilament high tenacity yarns extruded from high
molecular weight polypropylene granules. These individual extruded yarns are then twisted
together. These twisted yarns are then woven together to provide relatively dimensional stability
to each other and form a geotextile. Non woven geotextiles are used for separation, filtration and
protection applications. These materials are used for separation layer in pavement and earthwork
construction, Filters for subsurface drainage and gas removal, filters for revetment construction
and protection of layers for geomembrane liners. Continuous sheets of woven, non-woven, and
needle punched or thermally bonded fibers or yarns. Geotextiles (also called geofabrics) have a
very wide range of applications in geotechnics and drainage. They can be woven or non-woven.
Woven geotextiles include at least two sets of threads interlocking at right angles (warp and
weft). The threads can be mono or multi filaments, tape or split film. Most commonly, they are
made from HDPE (HIGH DENSITY POLY ETHELYNE) or PP (POLY PROPLYENE), except
for multifilament geotextiles, most similar to cloth, which are made of polyamide or PETP
(POLY ETYELENE TERA PHTHALATE). Non-woven geotextiles are thicker and made either
from short or continuous filaments, carded or laid in even patterns and then mechanically (needle

punched) or thermally bonded. PP and HDPE are the most common materials. Geotextiles are
tested for various properties depending on their applications, the most common characteristics
required including permeability, tensile strength and deformation under creep, thickness before
and after loading, puncture and perforation resistance. Geotextiles require careful placing to
avoid installation damage by tearing or puncture and continuity is ensured by simple overlapping
of two contiguous sheets.
APPLICATIONS

Steep slopes and retaining walls

Erosion control

Ground reinforcement

Landfill applications

USE OF GEOTEXTILE
Geotextile are used as filter to separate granular fill from cohesive sub grade and stop fines
particles migrating into the coarser graded material and adversely affecting its performance,
while at the same time allowing free movement of water so avoiding a buildup in pore water
pressure. Geotextiles can be used as reinforcing layers in the construction of embankments and
are laid between layers of compacted fill as shown in fig 1.2. Usually, to ensure continuity of the
reinforcement and/or strengthen steeper slopes, geotextile reinforcement is wrapped around the
slope face and tucked back underneath the next lift of fill. Alternatively, geotextiles can be
connected to other types of facing units. Another application of geotextiles as reinforcement is
their use to spread load (membrane effect) more evenly between piles driven into soft soil or
above cavities. In erosion control applications, geotextiles laid on river/canals beds and banks
subject to water currents and on steep slopes in exposed locations.

1.5.1.2 GEOMEMBRANES
These are basically an impervious sheet or film made from a polymer. They may be reinforced
with textile. They also can be made from polymer. They also can be made by spraying asphalt or
resin directly onto a geotextile Geomembranes are extremely durable and is both chemically and
uv resistant. The welding of adjacent geomembranes is done by advanced digitally operated

welding equipments which record all the petinent data as welding is performed. Further tests are
carried out at the site to ensure integrity and leak proofness of the seams. Membranes have to be
site glued or welded to ensure water proof function.
APPLICATIONS

Landfills / contaminated land

Water containment

Unpaved roads

Use
Membranes are mainly used because they are impermeable to gases and liquids and protect the
surrounding environment: for example, they might be used to avoid leachate from
waste/contaminated land entering the surrounding soil and groundwater. Hence, the selection of
membranes needs to take into account their long term durability in often very harsh chemical
conditions and under potential multiaxial stresses and strains due to settlement and thermal
variations Geomembranes are used in conjunction with various system for the collection and
drainage of the liquid or gas seeping through from the layers contained by the membrane, e.g. as
liners in landfill and contaminated land applications. Unpaved granular or permeable pavements
might be used in some developments as a technique for storm water control.
1.5.1.3 GEOGRIDS
A geogrids is any synthetic planner structure formed by a regular network of tensile elements
with apertures of sufficient sizes to allow interlocking with surroundings soil, rock, earth or any
other geotechnical material. They are also characterized by high dimensional stability and high
tensile modulus at very low elongation. These are used for reinforced soil slopes and walls.
These materials are placed in layers in backfill to reinforce soil slopes and retaining walls.
The stabilization and reinforcement occurs because of the interlocking of the fill material with
the grid. The interlocking effect is determined by the geogrid strength, mesh size and base
material. Usually produced with a range of strengths in either a biaxial orientation (meaning
strength in both directions), or uniaxial, (meaning strength in one direction only), or tri-axial
(with a honeycomb appearance and strength in all directions). The apertures within the grids may
therefore be square, rectangular or triangular.
APPLICATIONS

Ground reinforcement

Slopes and retaining walls

Basal reinforcement of embankments and foundations

Erosion control

USE OF GEOGRID
In basal and ground reinforcement applications, geogrids are typically placed underneath or
within granular layers as reinforcement. They provide structural reinforcement through
mechanically interlocking with the coarse particles. By using geogrids, thinner granular layers
can be built, with considerable cost savings. It is claimed that the use of geogrids in bituminous
bound pavement construction can reduce cracking (from thermal stresses, reflection cracking
etc.), however these claims are still being verified through trials and the use of geogrids currently
requires formal approval from the Highways Agency or the Defence Estates on their schemes.
Fig. 1.5.4(Geogrid encased stone column)
For embankment construction using reinforced soil techniques, layers of geogrid are used to
reinforce the fill and connect to a soft or hard facing at the slope surface. Geogrids can be used in
soil (or rock) retention systems for vertical or near vertical faces possibly in conjunction with
soil nails or anchors. Geogrids transfer loads between nail/anchor heads, thus ensuring
redistribution of forces and continuous performance in case of localized soil movements or nail
failures. Geogrids can be used for erosion control at the surfaces of embankment and cutting
slopes. They protect and retain the surface soil from the actions of rain and water run-off and
assist in preventing debris slides. Geogrids can be used in conjunction with other systems, such
as pre-seeded geomat or similar erosion control products specific for enhancing vegetation of the
face.
1.5.1.4 GEONETS/GEOWEBS/GEOMAT
The geomat is a high performance product specifically engineered for solving difficult erosion
control problems. It consists of top and bottom layers of a flexible non-biodegradable net and a
middle layer of biodegradable mulch material. The biodegradable mulch material provides a high
level protection during the initial period required for the growth of the vegetation. It also
promotes growth of the vegetation by retaining moisture and also conditioning of the soil. These
could be coarse woven or joints obtained by partial melting of strips, rigid filaments or extracted

strands. They are generally flexible and are junction of overlapping strands not firmly connected.
Two sets of coarse parallel polymeric strands, each extruded in tubular form, which cross at an
acute angle. Geonets have an open grid-like appearance and a third layer can be introduced to
increase thickness and hence flow capacity.
APPLICATIONS
1.) Horizontal drainage
2.) Vertical drainage
USE
Although of very similar configuration to geogrids, geonets are not installed for reinforcing
purposes but rather for their in-plane drainage capabilities, which depends on the thickness of the
ribs and their capillarity. They are frequently bonded with one or two layers of geofabric on each
side (and are therefore often referred to as drainage geocomposites) or can be used sandwiched
between two geomembranes. The geofabrics/membranes stop the soil clogging the grid-like
openings and reducing the drainage performance. Geonets can be used in landfill applications
within drainage layers, to drain away infiltrating water and leachate, and within the gas
collection layer, to transmit gas to collection points. Geonets can also be used as wall, slope or
roof drainage systems, under structures such as embankments and roads to drain away
groundwater and contribute to stability of the structure and resistance to frost.
1.5.1.5 GEOCOMPOSITES
A geocomposites consists of a combination of geogrid and geotextiles or geogrid and
geomembrane; or any of these materials with another material (e.g. deformed plastic sheets, steel
cables, or steel anchors) Geogrids or geotextiles or geomembrane can be suitably combined with
woven or non woven geotextiles or geogrids for specific application like drainage, erosion
control, bank protection, etc.
APPLICATIONS

Ground reinforcement and improvement

Gas and water drainage

Landfill / contaminated land applications

USE
Geosynthetic components can be combined together into a single geocomposite, thus providing
savings in construction time and enhanced performance. Depending on the composite design,

they can work as a barrier, drainage, filtration, protection, separation or reinforcement layer.
Geocomposites might be used as barriers/separation layers to separate and contain polluted soil
(brown field regeneration) or waste (landfill applications) and avoid migration of pollutants to
the surrounding soil or water. They can be mounted on solid frames to build below ground
physical barriers, e.g. separation walls. In railways applications, geocomposites can replace the
sand layer separating the track ballast from the foundation, performing the same function of
stopping the upward migration of fines.
1.5.1.6 GEOCELLS
A deep (1m) layer of interconnecting strips of geogrids/geofabrics filled with granular material to
create a stiffened basal layer which can be used to control differential settlement under
embankment constructed on compressible ground.
APPLICATIONS

Ground stability and improvement

Erosion control of wet and dry slopes

Soil reinforcement

Slopes and walls

Road applications

Military structures

USE
Geocell provide three dimensional reinforcement to soil. Geocells might be made of polymeric
fabric or grids and are delivered to site flat-packed, ready to be opened up and positioned,
possibly with the aid of struts to keep the cells open and in certain cases a frame to pretension the
structure, and then filled. Geocells can be used as basal reinforcement to embankments or as subbase reinforcement to paved and unpaved roads. They can be used over soft compressible soils or
to limit the thickness of the sub base layer required. Geocells have been used for reinforcing road
verges and improve their drainage. This characteristic enables them to be used for erosion
protection of banks and beds of rivers, canals and lakes. Furthermore, failure of a single cell does
not in general compromise the rest of the honeycomb structure and local repairs can be carried
out easily.
1.5.1.7 STEEL REINFORCEMENT

In the context of Geosystems steel reinforcement comes in the form of steel strips typically used
to reinforce the soil in conjunction with concrete face panel systems, or in reinforced soil slopes
by the use of woven, polymer coated hexagonal steel meshes.
APPLICATIONS

Ground reinforcement

Erosion control

Steep slopes and retaining walls

USE
Steel meshes can be laid on or just below the surface to reinforce soil on slopes or other areas
being vegetated. Meshes can also be used with soil nails to spread the load between the nail
heads and contain local soil failures. When sprayed concrete is used, steel meshes can be laid to
provide reinforcement and an adhesion surface. Steel mesh and nets require some form of
protection from corrosion, hence the steel wire is galvanized and/or polymer or zinc coated. In
reinforced soil applications, arrays of steel strips are anchored or bolted to concrete facing
elements and installed progressively on compacted layers during backfilling to provide
reinforcement through resistance to horizontal shear. As horizontal load develops on the wall due
to the compaction process and the increasing soil overburden as the wall is constructed, tensions
are generated in the reinforcing strips which stabilize the structure.

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