TOMORROW WITH GEOSYNTHETICS: A COST EFFECTIVE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

Aanand Jain

Abstract: Generally Soil demonstrates high compressive strength similar to concrete, but fundamentally no tensile strength, when load applied on it. To provide tensile strength in soils, it needs reinforcement like steel i.e. required for concrete. The diverse ranges of polymeric Geosynthetics materials typically are being used to reinforce soils. Geosynthetics are relatively light and flexible; possess a high tensile strength, even extensible during application of loads. When soil and Geosynthetics reinforcement are combined, coherent reinforced soil mass developed, possessing both high compressive and tensile strength (similar, in principle, to reinforced concrete). Geosynthetics is a generic term used to encompass family of various flexible polymer materials used in geotechnical engineering. Geosynthetics family is quite large and comprises wide variety of products like Geogrids, Geonets, Geomembranes, geotextiles, Geosynthetics Clay liners, Geocomposites, Geocells, Geotube, Geobags, Geofoam, Glass Grids, Paving fabric, Geostrips, Jute geotextiles etc. but this paper focus on products Geogrids, Geotextiles, Geocells and Jute geotextiles as an alternative of conventional building materials with cost effectiveness, great value in enhancing the performance of traditional materials simultaneously reduce maintenance cost and savings of carbon footprints. Over the last three decades Geosynthetics are being increasingly used in civil engineering applications like road construction, high embankments, retaining structures and erosion control etc. In addition to the application of Geosynthetics in road construction, they can be used for number of others applications like, steep slope stabilization, filter and/or drainage control in embankment and dam, lands reclamation, landfills, canal lining, strengthening of weak foundation soil for railway embankment, reducing the ballast thickness for railway etc. Geosynthetics products can be used effectively in building construction related activities as alternative of conventional material/techniques. The some of the examples by inclusion of Geosynthetics in soil mass are: Improvement of bearing capacity for building foundation where foundation soil needs improvement, Construction of internal roads with lower maintenance cost within any township by controlling rutting/cracking/pot holes in the road, Construction cost effective internal roads by reducing the thickness of natural base materials needed, Strengthening of weak subgrade for development of internal roads, Construction of Reinforced soil walls (RSW) for development of outdoor sports complex with sitting arrangements. Erosion protection using Jute and coir geotextiles/geogrid, Landscaping of sloping area using Geo cells, development of children play area are also, the examples of uses of Polymer/Natural Geosynthetics as alternative of conventional building construction material.

Keywords: Geosynthetics, Geogrids, Geotextile, Geocomposite, Geocell, Building Construction material, Road Construction, Sports Complex, Filtration, Drainage, Reinforcement

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2016.0532033