FUNCTIONS OF

GEOSYNTHETICS
By
Azaz Ahmed
C13/ME-04
SELECTION OF
GEOSYNTHETIC
FUNCTION TO
BE SERVED
Reinforcement
Separation
Filtration
Drainage
Fluid barrier
Protection
Selection of geosynthetics
Reinforcement
Soil Geosynthetics
Reinforced
soil produced
possess
High
Compressive
and tensile
strength
Geosythetic applied as reinforcement resists applied
stresses and prevents inadmissible deformations.

Geogrid reinforcement in base layers
Image source = http://www.ctre.iastate.edu
Acts as a tensioned member coupled to the soil/fill
material by friction, adhesion, interlocking or
confinement to maintain stability of soil mass
Fluet (1988) subdivided reinforcement functions into
1. A Tensile member supporting a planar load
2. The tensioned member that also supports a normal
load
Jawell (1996) and Koener (2005) provided three
mechanisms
Shear or Sliding
Anchorage or Pullout
Membrane
Separation
To prevent
1. Intermixing of adjacent dissimilar soils and/or fill
materials
2. Intermixing of soft and granular soils
3. Intrusion of granular particles into soil subgrade
Geosynthetics used for separation of
layers of soil
Image source = http://www.typargeosynthetics.com
Filtration
Allows for adequate fluid flow with limited migration of
soil particles across its plane over a projected service
lifetime
Untreated and treated soil with
geosynthetics as a filter
Drainage
1. Collects water from the backfill and transports it to
the weep holes in retaining walls
2. Excess pore water pressure is dissipated
Geosynthetics used for drainage
Image source = http://www.abg-geosynthetics.com
Fluid Barrier
Acts as an impermeable membrane to prevent
passage of liquids, gases or both over a projected
lifetime.
Geosynthetics being deployed in a pond
Image source = http://geosyntheticsmagazine.com
Protection
Alleviates or distributes stresses and strains
transmitted to the material to be protected against any
damage
Other functions
Absorption
Containment
Cushioning
Insulation
Screening
Absorption
Water absorption
in erosion control
application
Recovery of
floating oil from
surface waters
following disasters
Containment
Encapsulate or contain civil
engineering related materials
such as rocks, soil etc
Cushioning
To damp down
dynamic
mechanical
actions
Seismic base
isolation of
earth
structures
Insulation
To reduce passage of electricity,
heat or sound
Screening
Selective retention of particles
from the path of flowing liquid
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE