Geotextile
in Road Applications The
main cause of pavement and roads failure is contamination of the aggregate base
and the resulting loss in aggregate strength. When aggregate is placed on a subgrade,
the bottom layer becomes contaminated with soil. Over time, traffic loading and
vibration pushes the pavement base aggregate into the soil and causes it to move
upward. This causes the decrease in effective aggregate thickness, thus reducing
the life of the road.
Geotextile
Solutions and Benefits Geotextiles
provide three main functions, which enhance performance of Roads: separation,
stabilization/ reinforcement and drainage. Separation
Woven
geotextiles provide long-term separation of the aggregate base from the subgrade
soil. By separating these two materials, the geotextile maintains the original
thickness of the roadway aggregate. This is the most important geotextile function
for roads, particularly where the road is being constructed on weak subgrade soils.
Stabilization
Higher strength woven geotextiles provide stabilization in addition to the
primary function of separation. Through stabilization, a geotextile can increase
the effective bearing capacity of low strength subgrade soils. A stabilization
geotextile reduces subgrade pumping and maintains the required aggregate thickness..
Sub
Surface Drainage High-modulus,
woven geotextiles provide the added benefit of subsurface drainage. These products
are ideal when water is expected to flow from the subgrade soil into to the aggregate
base. They allow the groundwater to pass into the subsurface drain without eroding
the soil, and thus ensure long-term performance. | 
