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FOR GEOTEXTILES
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Functions |
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Traditionally,
design specifications have been made according to construction type, even
though a design specification depends on function and not application. This
means that the design for a specific function will be the same regardless of
construction type/application. The functions of geotextiles are divided into
five categories: Separation, Filtration, Drainage, Protection and
Reinforcement. Regardless of type of construction the geotextile performs at
least one of these functions. |
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| Separation |
Separation is the basic use of geotextiles and is widely practised in road
works and railway constructions. In the EN ISO standards the separation
function is defined as ”The preventing from intermixing of adjacent
dissimilar soils and/or fill materials by the use of a geotextile”.
The durability and mechanical properties of Fibertex Geotextiles make them
ideal as separating layers in construction works. A strong and flexible
geotextile is placed between different layers in the construction preventing
migration and mingling of materials, yet allowing free movement of water. |
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| Filtration |
Geotextiles are widely used for filtration in road works and railway
constructions as well as coastal protection. The filtration function of a
geotextile serves the same purpose as the separation function, but under
different circumstances. In the EN ISO standards the filtration function is
defined as ”The restraining of soil or other particles subjected to
hydrodynamic forces while allowing the passage of fluids into or across a
geotextile”.
The characteristic opening size of Fibertex Geotextiles is designed to
retain particles while allowing free movement of water, making it possible
to separate two layers during intense hydraulic activity. Migration of
layers will reduce the load-bearing capacity of the construction and must
therefore be avoided. |
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| Drainage |
Geotextiles are widely used for drainage in earth and construction works. In
the EN ISO standards the drainage function is defined as ”The collecting and
transporting of precipitation, ground water and/or other fluids in the plane
of the geotextile”. In other words, it is the ability of the geotextile to
drain fluids on its own, meaning that it is not part of a drainage system,
but is the drainage system itself. The drainage function is often confused
with the filtration function. When a geotextile forms part of a drainage
system, where the geotextile is used to separate a soil and a coarse-grained
drainage layer, the function is filtration.
Excess water is drained off the construction - not by passing through the
Fibertex Geotextile as when used for filtration - but by flowing in the
plane of the geotextile leading it away from the construction. |
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| Protection |
Geotextiles are widely used for protection in waste disposal systems and
tunnel constructions to ensure the integrity of a sealing material (e.g.
geomembrane) when fill material and/or loads are applied. In the EN ISO
standards the protection function is defined as ”The prevention or limiting
of local damage to a given element or material by the use of a geotextile”.
When placing a Fibertex Geotextile on both sides of a waterproof membrane,
the thickness and strength of the geotextile protect the membrane from
puncture. |
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| Reinforcement |
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For minor reinforcement jobs, nonwoven Fibertex Geotextiles can be
sufficient, but generally the reinforcement function calls for more rigid
materials than nonwoven geotextiles. The excellent elongation properties of
nonwoven Fibertex Geotextiles are not appropriate with the reinforcement
function. This is why Fibertex Fiberforce, Fibertex HS Woven and Fibertex
Geogrid should be considered for larger projects. Fibertex Fiberforce is a
nonwoven geotextile strengthened with a woven structure to maintain the good
separation and filtration properties of the Fibertex Geotextile and to
increase the tensile strength and to decrease the elongation properties
significantly. Fibertex HS Woven is a woven geotextile made from 100%
polyester. It is used solely for reinforcement and has a high modulus (high
strength at low elongation), making it suitable for reinforcement as
hydraulic properties are not in focus. Fibertex Geogrid is a 100% polyester
grid solely for reinforcement. It has a large mask width, and consequently
it should be combined with a nonwoven geotextile for separation. In the EN
ISO standards the reinforcement function is defined as ”The use of the
stress-strain behaviour of a geotextile or a geotextile-related product to
improve the mechanical properties of soil or other construction materials”.
The mechanical properties of Fibertex Geotextiles, Fibertex Fiberforce,
Fibertex HS Woven and Fibertex GeoGrid, make them ideal for reinforcing
slopes and other soil structures.
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Tex Engineering is a Distributor for
the Fibertex range of Geotextiles in the United Kingdom |
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Contact us for further details:
Tex Engineering Limited, Unit 35 Claydon Business Park, Great Blakenham,
Ipswich IP6 ONL
Telephone: 0870 751 3977 Fax: 0870 751 3978 |
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