Geotextiles geotechnical functions

Most non-textile geosynthetics are used with geotextiles, and therefore it is more informative to consider the functions, structures and properties of all the material types. This should aid the reader s understanding of the role played by geotextiles, whether employed with the other materials or as their substitutes in the various geotechnical applications described later as examples. 

The reinforcing function of geotextUes is one of the most used in geotechnical engineering. Soils have much lower resistance to tensile forces than they do to compressive forces. Embedding a suitable geotextile within the... 

It can be seen from the above descriptions that future developments of geotextiles will be wide and varied, driven not only by the demand for improvements in performance, but also by the desire of added multi-functionalities for solutions to new geotechnical problems, particularly with the on-going changes to global climate. 

This chapter describes the types of natural fibres that are used for biodegradable geotextiles, the important properties of these fibres, the process and structures of the textile forms into which they are converted, and most importantly their geotechnical end-uses. First, however, it is necessary to understand what geotextiles are, and also their primary functions. 

Geotextiles are widely used with soil structures in the field of geotechnical engineering and are expected to function effectively over long periods of time, and thus, their durability under various environments is of utmost importance (Cooke Rebenfeld, 1988). In these applications, the geotextile compensates for the... 

Geotextiles are those fabrics used in geotechnical applications, such as road and railway embankments, earth dikes, and coastal protection structures, designed to perform one or more basic functions such as filtration, drainage, separation of soil layers, reinforcement, or stabilisation. Therefore, almost every geotextile application is multifunctional. 

Field tests to evaluate the feasibility and the effectiveness of a geotechnical reinforcement to improve the stability of a slope failure and to decrease the failure speed were carried out at an old mining site in Zimmersrode, located about 50 km south of Kassel, Germany (see Figure 13.13). Two types of multi-functional geotextiles (MFCs) were considered an optical fibre sensor integrated in geogrids and three optical fibre... 

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