Lecture 23

NPTEL Course

GROUND IMPROVEMENT
USING GEOSYNTHETICS

Prof. G L Sivakumar Babu

Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore 560012
Email: [email protected]
A Brief Overview of Geosynthetics
and Their Major Applications*
1. Geosynthetic Materials
2. Transportation and Geotechnical
3. Geoenvironmental
4. Hydraulic Engineering
5. Private Development
6. Concluding Comments
1. Geosynthetic Materials

 Polymer Background
 Types of Geosynthetics
 Various Functions
 Design Methods
 Application Areas
 Polymer Background

 geosynthetics are really “geopolymers”

 feedstock is natural gas reacted to form
resin in a flake form
 mixed with additives into a formulation
 manufactured into a particular type of
geosynthetic material
Geosynthetic (GS) Materials

 geotextiles (GT)
 geogrids (GG)
 geonets (GN)
 geomembranes (GM)
 geosynthetic clay liners (GCL)
 geopipe (GP)
 geofoam (GF)
 geocomposites (G C)
 Geotextiles (GT)

 majority are made from polypropylene fibers

 standard textile manufacturing
 woven (slit film, monofilament or multifilament)
 nonwoven (needle punched or heat bonded)
 characterized by an open and porous structure
 mechanical and hydraulic properties vary widely
 very versatile in their primary function
 Geogrids (GG)

 unitized, woven yarns or bonded straps

 structure allows for soil “strike-through”
 bidirectional – equal strength in both directions
 unidirectional – main strength in machine direction
 focuses entirely on reinforcement applications, e.g.,
 walls, steep slopes, base and foundation reinforcement
 Geonets (GN)

 all are made from high density polyethylene

 results in parallel sets of ribs as a integral unit
 biplanar – flow is equal in all directions
 triplanar – flow much greater in machine direction
 function is always in-plane drainage
 surfaces must be covered; usually with GTs
 Geomembranes (GM)

 function is always containment

 represents a barrier to liquids and gases
 many types: HDPE, LLDPE, fPP, PVC, EPDM, etc.
 manufactured rolls are field seamed
 required by regulations for waste containment
 new applications in hydraulics and private development
Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCL)

 function is always containment

 common product is bentonite between 2-GTs
 internally reinforced by needle punched or stitching
 bentonite product bonded to GM is also available
 many other variations exist
 competitive with compacted clay liners (CCLs)
 beneath a GM; one has a composite liner
GEOPIPE
 Geopipe

 its really buried plastic pipe!

 function is always drainage
 HDPE and PVC most common
 both can be smooth walled or corrugated
 corrugated HDPE growth is enormous
GEOFOAM
 Geofoam (GF)

 EPS or XPS in block form

 lightweight fill on soft or sensitive soils
 relieves lateral pressure on walls
 also used for insulation of frost-sensitive
soils
 Geocomposites (GC)

 array of available products

 GT/GM; GT/GG; GT/GN; etc.
 considerable ongoing innovation
 primary function depends on final product
 Function vs. Geosynthetic Type
Type of Separation Reinforcement Filtration Drainage Containment
Geosynthetic
geotextile    
geogrid 
geonet 
geomembrane 
geosynthetic 
clay liner
geopipe 
geofoam 
geocomposite     
 Design Methods

(a) “Cost”-based on experience/availability

(b) “Specification” – for common applications
(c) “Function” – for specialty, critical and/or
permanent applications
 Design-by-Function

Allowable (Test) Property

FS 
Required (Design) Property
where

 test Methods are from ASTM, ISO or GRI

 design Models from the Literature
 factor-of-Safety is Application Specific
 Application Areas

Transportation/Geotechnical – GT, GG & GC mainly

Geoenvironmental – GM, GCL & GN mainly
Hydraulic Systems – GM, GP & GC mainly
Private Development – all types of GSs
 2. Transportation and
Geotechnical Applications

 GTs as filters
 GTs and GGs as wall reinforcement
 GTs and GGs as slope reinforcement
 GC Wick Drains (also called PVDs)
 GC Erosion Control Systems
 Geotextile Filtration
 refers to cross-plane flow, i.e., GT is acting as
a filter not as a drain
 three design requirements:
1. adequate flow
2. proper soil retention
3. long-term flow equilibrium
 many applications, e.g.,
 behind retaining walls
 under erosion control systems
 around pavement underdrains (follows)
 Pavement Topsoil
Stone 450 mm
base

GT
400 mm
Crushed
Soil subgrade stone/
perforated
300 mm pipe

(GT Filter in Excavated Trench) (Crushed Stone & Perforated Pipe)

 Wall Reinforcement Design Concepts

 internal design results in:

• spacing of GT or GG
• length of GT or GG
• facing connection stress
 external design used to assess:
• overturning stability
• sliding stability
• bearing capacity
 reduction factors on reinforcement
• put on laboratory values for allowable strength
 factor-of-safety
• on each design aspect to resist the “unknown”
 Elements of a GT or GG Wall Design
P1 P2(live loads)

Surcharge D

z
LR LE
hs + hq + ht = h
H sv
45+/2

L0 Total lateral
Soil Surcharge Live load
L pressure pressure pressure pressure

(With Concrete Facing) (Green Wall with Vegetated Facing)

 Segmental Retaining Walls (SRWs)
(also called modular block walls)
 design is same as described before
 refers to type of wall facing
 great variety of aesthetic blocks
 usually GG reinforced MSE system
 generic computer design codes available

Tiered Wall with Surcharge

 Reinforcement for Soil Slopes

 most soil slopes become unstable steeper

than 2(H)-to-1(V) (26.5°)
 use GT or GG reinforcement to increase
either the slope angle or height
 essentially no limit, except for erosion
 various placement patterns are possible
 Placement patterns for reinforcement

(a) Even spaced-even length (b) Uneven spaced-even length

(c) Even spaced-even length (d) Even spaced-uneven length

with short facing layers with short facing layers

(One that Failed)! (With Reinforcement-Steep & Stable)

 Geocomposite Wick Drains
 also called prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs)
 used for rapid consolidation of saturated fine grained
soils
 consists of a drainage core with a GT filter/separator
wrapped completely around it
 typically 100 mm wide, by 2 to 10 mm thick, by 100 m
long (in roll or coil form)

(Driving Wick Drains) (Ready for Surcharge Fill)

Geocomposite Erosion Control Systems

 huge array of products

 slope protection – modify USLE
 channel protection – increase shear stress
 temporary; permanent (soft); permanent (hard)
3. Geoenvironmental Applications

 Landfill liner systems

 Landfill cover systems
 Vertical Cutoff Barriers
 Liners for Surface Impoundments
 Liners for Heap Leach Ponds
 Nature of Waste Problem

 moisture within and precipitation on the waste

generates leachate
 leachate takes the characteristics of the waste
 thus leachate is very variable and is site-specific
 flows gravitationally downward
 enters groundwater unless a suitable barrier
layer and collection system is provided
 Double Liner System
(with leak detection layer)

GT

GN

GCL Gravel w/
GM perforated pipe
GG

CCL
 (Secondary Composite Liner) (Geonet Leak Detection)

(Primary Composite Liner) (Nine Layers of Geosynthetics)

Final Cover System
(Sequential Placement of GSs) (Areal View of 70 ha Site)

Possible Geosynthetic Layers

in a Waste Containment System

in Final Cover - 7
in Waste Itself - 2
in Base Liner - 9
18 Layers!
(Seven Layers of Geosynthetics)
 Vertical Geomembrane Cutoff Walls
 utilized at abandoned dumps or for the control of polluted
groundwater
 typically placed in a slurry supported trench with soil/cement,
soil/asphalt, or soil/fly ash as backfill
 system is greatly enhanced with a geomembrane placed up
gradient, thereby forming a vertical composite liner system

(Placement of GM Panels)
Liners for Surface Impoundments

 design is progressive with each decision leading

to the input for next consideration; i.e.,
 geometry
 cross section
 GM type selection
 GM thickness selection
 subgrade stability
 cover soil stability
 runout and anchor trench
(Double Lined Hazardous Waste Pond) (Lined Pond With Ugly Whales)

(Pond With Failed Subgrade)

(Electrical Leak Detection in Progress)
Commentary:

 major decision is whether to leave GM

exposed or cover it with soil
 exposed; durability is key to GM selection
 covered; many GMs are possible
(depending on liquid to be contained)
 if covered, slopes will be relatively flat
and stability is a major design issue
 Heap Leach Mining
 practiced in existing mining areas
 target metals are gold, silver and copper
 process uses cyanide and sulfuric acid
 chemicals strip trace amounts from the ore which
has been placed in “heaps”
 needs GM liner and collection system
4. Hydraulic Engineering Applications

 Waterproofing of Dams
 Waterproofing of Canals
 Reservoir Liners/Floating Covers
 Tunnel Waterproofing & Rehabilitation
 Pipe Rehabilitation & Remediation
 Waterproofing of Dams

 masonry, concrete, earth and RCC dams

 GM is not a structural element, its
waterproofing
 many dams over 50-years old often have
leakage; sometimes excessive leakage
 methods are under rapid development
mainly in European Alps and in China
 (Lining a
Concrete Dam)

(Concrete Dam Leaking!)

(Completed Concrete Dam Lining) (Lined Earth Dam: Before Rip-Rap)

 Waterproofing of Canals

 conveyance of all liquids; however, water is the

most common
 distances and quantities vary greatly
 fundamental issue is leakage (i.e., how much, if
any, is allowable)
 some type of liner (GM or GCL) is necessary
 many federal agencies involved (BuRec, COE,
DOA and NRCA)
(Lining a Canal: Before Soil Covering) (GCL Lining of a Canal)

(GM Canal 18 years after GM Lined) (Lining a “Live” Canal)

 Reservoir Liners/Floating Covers
 GM pond liners date back to 1930’s
 used to contain all types of liquids
 potable water  process waste waters
 architectural ponds  sewage sludge
 shutdown water  industrial sludge
 gray water  agricultural wastes
 industrial waters  hazardous liquids*
*EPA estimates 206,000 in USA alone!
 Common Characteristics

 generally shallow liquid depths

 typically 2 to 7 m
 side slopes from 4(H)-to-1(V) to 1(H)-to-
1(V), i.e.,  = 14 to 45
 both exposed and covered
 exposed – GM durability issue
 covered – soil stability issue
(Lined Potable Water Reservoir) (Floating GM Cover)

(Huge GM Bag Transporting Potable Water)

(Another Floating GM Cover)
 New Tunnel Waterproofing
 many old tunnels without GMs are leaking
 white staining on surface is the “tell-tale”
 key is to use a GT and GM behind the permanent
concrete surfacing
 in turn, this requires a GP drainage system
 Tunnel Rehabilitation
 concern is over excessive leakage
 leakage can lead to instability
 tunnels are essentially accessible pipes
 obviously, they are usually more critical
 water tunnels are the general target

SAN FIORANO, Italy

SPALOV TUNNEL, Czech Republic

Pipe Rehabilitation and Remediation
 focuses on old lifeline systems
 transmission lines (water, gas, oil)
 drainage (conduits, canals)
 sewers (sanitary and storm) … see photos
 Methods of Pipe Rehabilitation
 Coatings
 Slip Liners (Pipe-within-Pipe)
 Cured-in-Place Pipe
 Fold-and-Formed Pipe
 In-Situ Liners

(Epoxy Coated Pipe) (Pipe-within-Pipe)

 Private Development Applications

Selected Areas of Focus

 various dwellings  sport fields

 industrial buildings  golf courses
 storage/staging areas  airfields
 tank farms  agriculture
 parks and playgrounds  aquaculture
 pools and lakes  liquid transportation
 Tank Farms/Gas Stations
 concern is spillage into surface water
 also, leakage into ground water
 requires a GM or GCL Barrier
 classified as “secondary containment”
 barrier must be resistant to liquid
 Pools, Ponds and Lakes
 sites vary from small-to-huge
 usually access is limited
 liners required for leakage control
 covers sometimes required for contamination
control and for safety
 Golf Courses
 aesthetics, aesthetics, aesthetics
 drainage, drainage, drainage
 turf maintenance is a major issue
 essentially all geosynthetics are involved
 opportunities available in new sites and in
expansion/remediation of existing sites

(GM Lined Bunker) (Gravel & GP Drainage)

 Agriculture
 mega-farming is big business
 animal populations are enormous
 the major item of “non-point source pollution”
 animal waste conveyance, recovery and treatment are
critical topics and invariably they are “newsworthy”

(Lined Pond Behind Cattle Stalls) (Aerobic Decomposition of Waste)

 Aquaculture
 fish-farming is also big business
 generally shallow GM-lined ponds
 lining required for control purposes
(nutrition, oxygen, contamination)
 some enterprises are “awesome”

(GM Lined Shrimp Farm) (Lots & Lots of Them!)

6. Concluding Remarks

 Organizations
 Publications
 Current Status
 Summary
Web Sites of Geosynthetic Organizations

 Geosynthetic Institute (GSI)

<http://www.geosynthetic-institute.org>
 International Geosynthetics Society (IGS)
<http://www.igs.rmc.ca>
 Geosynthetics Materials Association (GMA)
<http://www.gmanow.com>
 International Standards Organization (ISO)
<http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.frontpage>
 ASTM International
<http://www.astm.org>
 Publications

 Journal of Geotextiles and Geomembranes - Prof. R. K. Rowe,

Editor
<www.sciencedirect.com>
 Geosynthetics International Journal - Dr. T. S. Ingold, Editor
<www.ifai.com>
 GFR Magazine - Mr. Chris Kelsey, Editor
<www.ifai.com>
 Designing With Geosynthetics - Prof. R. M. Koerner, Author
<www.geosynthetic-institute.org>
Comments on Current Status
Transportation & Geotechnical Applications
 most mature of application areas
 focuses on GTs, GGs and GCs
 moving toward generic specifications
Geoenvironmental Applications
 regulatory driven
 all GSs are involved with specs
 field performance is excellent
Hydraulic Engineering Applications
 lagging behind other applications
 focuses on GMs and GCLs
 tremendous opportunities available
Private Development Applications
 tremendous variety of applications
 all GSs are involved
 innovation and cost/benefit driven
 Summary
 Geosynthetics are bona fide engineering
materials and must be treated as such
 Test methods and designs are available –
challenge them accordingly
 Basic advantage of geosynthetics is quality
control of factory manufactured products
 Products must be accompanied by rigorous
CQC/CQA
 Field performance has been excellent
 Geosynthetics potential is awesome!