Geosynthetics have been successfully used to fulfill a number of functions that contribute significantly to the good performance of roadways. Geosynthetics materials have been used in pavement design to address the functions of Geosynthetics applications are separation, filtration, lateral drainage, sealing, and reinforcement. Learn in detailing in the Geosynthetics in civil engineering.

What is Geosynthetics?

Geosynthetics are a rapidly emerging family of geomaterials used in a wide variety of civil engineering applications. Geosynthetics are used in forest engineering applications for soil stabilization, where the basic functions are reinforcement, separation, filtration, and drainage.

How does Geosynthetic help in pavement construction?

Geosynthetics are becoming rapidly popular in construction because of their ability to perform certain necessary functions while offering practical advantages such as: 

• The relative ease of shipping and field handling (flexibility)  
• Rapid installation techniques, i.e fast speed of construction, without the need for heavy equipment such as earth-moving machines. 
• This Geosyethic materials Lightweight in comparison with other construction materials, therefore imposing less stress upon the foundation for geosynthetics in civil engineering.
• Durability and long life when properly selected for the geosynthetics in construction of roads.
• General environment safety, since they will not degrade.   
• Geosynthetic systems reduce the use of natural resources and the environmental damage associated quarrying, trucking, and other material handling activities.

Why we use geosynthetics in pavement?

Geosynthetics uses in road pavement construction work.

• The roads are constructed with geosynthetic solutions for more stability and strength – the specific type of geosynthetics like geogrid used in road construction of trafficked areas different from area to area. Parking lots, access roads, footpaths, and forest paths make use of different kinds of geosynthetic materials.
• The construction companies can achieve their required bearing capacity by varying the geogrid in the soil.
• The Geogrids are used to improve the load distribution, which in turn, minimizes rutting and undesirable soil intermixing.
• To prevent any damage from the high stresses, geosynthetics are used in in road construction
• Reinforced soil structures used in geosynthetics road construction.

Application of Geosynthetics in the pavement:

In the Geosynthetics applications: 6 functions can apply filtration, drainage, separation, barrier, reinforcement, and surface erosion control. 

Geosynthetics applications:

Filtration function: 

The Geosynthetic allows liquid flow across its plane while retaining fine particles on its upstream side.
Key design properties to fulfill this function include the geosynthetic permittivity (cross-plane hydraulic
conductivity per unit thickness) and measures of the geosynthetic pore-size distribution.

Drainage function: 

Drainage function is defined as collecting and transporting precipitation, groundwater, and/or other fluids in the plane of a geotextile or a geotextile-related product. 

Separation function: 

Separation is often used to avoid the mixing of dissimilar materials such as good imported material with in situ material (usually very weak). Mostly geotextiles are suited for this function because they support the imported material to punch into the soft material (localized bearing failure). 

It may also involve providing long-term stress relief. Key design properties to perform this function include those used to characterize the survivability of the geosynthetic during installation

Geosynthetics reinforcement function: 

Geosynthetics and reinforced soil structures, The Geosynthetics reinforcement function is nowadays the most important function in pavements. Geosynthetics, mostly geogrids and some geotextiles are able to perform such functions which require the high mechanical performance of the geosynthetics during the time.  

Barrier and erosion control functions : 

Barrier and erosion control functions find a place in a pavement in case-specific applications. Barrier function is seen as the extreme of ” ltration because a geosynthetic barrier does not allow any gas or liquid to flow through. Geosynthetic barriers are usually used when no water is allowed in the pavement structure.

Stiffening:

The geosynthetic develops tensile forces intended to control the deformations in the soil-geosynthetic
composite. Key design properties to accomplish this function include those used to quantify the stiffness of the soil-geosynthetic composite.

Conslusion:

Geogrids are undoubtedly the most common type of geosynthetic solutions used in road construction. They provide soil stability, especially in areas where there is a high chance of rutting and soft subsoil intermixing. Moreover, such geosynthetic materials provide stability and support in unpaved road construction and areas where a high flow of traffic is expected.