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<br />Geotextiies: Fabrics of Many Uses
<br />•Ujilike^e limited and ^'approp^ate
<br />wldch polyethylene film has
<br />, iieen.Spiled, the new engir.eennij
<br />. fibiica have a wide variety of present
<br />. and 'eveii more potential applica-
<br />' dons as new and better fabrics are
<br />. developed: Presiently, the new geotex-
<br />‘. dle''products.aie being employed in a
<br />- .magnitudp of applications ranging from
<br />, *‘sufasli^CKe .'u^ like drainage protec-
<br />V *^tldn, root encroachment barriers sepde
<br />«s^eid/iiiidAv'and-ground stabilization
<br />««,bi^to tfo abii^ ground applications
<br />Vrarion ootttvot^ revegetation mat-
<br />i ^drlg(OQtvrthlctlbn ^sediment control
<br />?s,- fendng;*1ircai wtadi^ asphalt pavement
<br />'' Vvioli^' golf cduiae green blankets and
<br />’'^Tmiidilnera’**’ *• *. •
<br />V'-QiiUg^o^u^. ttte same type pro
<br />dutt omnot te used effectively in each
<br />^^tf ttiase aiaM and although in the ear- ^
<br />•f?-
<br />• -
<br />' innuitetur^ ctf wch pnxlucts os rope
<br />«andritenlii^5tiothlhg and carpet. It
<br />••f
<br />baca^apppi^to manuflicturexs that
<br />.. thaMiMw.*hn^da’’fyitt^^
<br />'>pertiad/thitt.dd!ild rnake them of great
<br />• r
<br />;i^aapha|f bytosm^afa'angthenandpto-
<br />• *-:lpMtteJllf)ibf<ipBmioad^^ Woven
<br />• %
<br />••in.
<br />h^^wei^appttad to the
<br />4ahdk:aP!»,.yid-inin^ industry as a
<br />«*.w^ lM9^and>fi^ other products
<br />aitaloii.odniroijn
<br />'ideoHMiif )limto were, newS5©........______’the.market with
<br />s i'^jUto'eefBpfoduciB jbaitig leappliod fhttn
<br />l^i.attfeiilndtistiliaaLaiMi the race was on.
<br />iu« the landscape industry
<br />‘fihda m itibat obinmon appUcatlon for
<br />f fjgsbtiKdlaa fit ^ area of weed control
<br />^fjMRlt^’.'andAiiiQ^^ mam and
<br />* matar there are many
<br />jttjgrhen.ithey can make a
<br />Itfpdiltiitt.lnil^ wHh the
<br />' **Vhgoli4|#|lay«lepmenu 1 In , fabric
<br />%-:de d v/ide opp^jituracy :or ^eoiexiue
<br />■lie. Rdt^iirarg vaili of dll lyzcs am
<br />b^neiVw from the proper appiiCiition of
<br />^eotcxnles. A simpie dnurage sv^tem.
<br />-3in^ ^vel rapped \\TJd landscape
<br />fabnc placed behind the ^N*ail. allo^vs
<br />moiscure to dram do%^'n away from the
<br />wail, thus relieving lateral water
<br />pressure. A sheet cf fabnc atiached :o
<br />the back of a timber or non*mortared
<br />masonry wail allows water to flow' out
<br />while keeping the back fill stable A
<br />similar system is applied to use with
<br />pado pots and large planters, IVhen laid
<br />between the pot and the back fill, the
<br />fabric acts as a filter in a coffee maker,
<br />keeping the soil In the ccnuiner while
<br />allowing the "water applied at the sur
<br />face to flow out of the dram holes at the
<br />bottom.
<br />‘Ijr litiiiini nf rtiii imrlumr ^ |
<br />'^^ituiirotsfiverr'made oTroultt-w i
<br />.. ducbg tlw.influi^t*adl^ '=
<br />' '* ln.th€ jii«M flirproduct dwoslflcatlon ^
<br />Bedding Aggregate
<br />\_
<br />Md deycMxmoi; Grett |
<br />•^4)eell'-lnadn'fal'■Jp8t ’th••lalt few years =
<br />*Mvidtlr th»wIdmaGoeptance of the field C
<br />^ valun of gsotodllH and the resulting in-
<br />. ’ flux i of oompsdtion among product
<br />•\\*^deveh^Mn<and. manufiKturrni
<br />. ''TherootSofgeoiactileagobacktotlie
<br />. ,7litec l960s and.eariy 1970s when the
<br />-.'petroleum’Industry was searching for
<br />o>-.uaek'fiac.’ttielr‘veii«d bjf^producta. Syn-
<br />.'thetic. Aier: ikbrics sudi as nylon,
<br />; po^nister end polypropylene had been
<br />4 tn;uM finite number of yean In the
<br />■ * I '
<br />Geote.xtile
<br />.Anchor
<br />Subsoil
<br />One use of ^textiles
<br />in rrrvnon contm.
<br />Sub-surface systems, such as French
<br />drains and sumps are improved g* uly
<br />by lining them with a geotexu.-. The
<br />fabric prov'.iies a free flow of air and
<br />water while preventing soil particles
<br />from entering the drainage aggregate. It
<br />therefore can provide considerably
<br />longer drain life, often elimiruite the
<br />need for perforated pipe, and prevent
<br />roots from dogging the drain. Similar
<br />ly, fabrics are used as septic field liners
<br />and in drainage applications under
<br />athletic fields, riding arenas and golf
<br />c<?utse greens and sand bunkers to
<br />'2' prove soil drainage while diamadcally
<br />^.ding surface stability. It should be
<br />noted that only fabrics with high water
<br />permeability rating and filtration
<br />capabilities such as the non-wovena,
<br />should be seriously considered for
<br />drainage applications.
<br />Erosion control is another important
<br />area for landscape fabric application.
<br />GeotexUle use beneath G^iianinata rip
<br />rap or substrate aggregate enhances the
<br />functional potential of the rock in
<br />severe! ways. It provides e*cellent sedi-
<br />n-.ent r:r.-.i:;-n. prevenu lateral water
<br />pr05Su.-3 '.Uiij-'ip, j'JbUizes the entire
<br />structure aioujt frontal -.vater forces
<br />and preionas sj'stern longevttjt At the
<br />same cme. the fabnc inhibits weed
<br />growth keeping fhe site astheticaily
<br />oleasing. FHbncs used for this purpose
<br />shoiiid be able to withstand a high level
<br />cl j'.siailanon stress and therefore have
<br />high abrasion, puncture and tear
<br />resistance. Mullen Burst strength, and
<br />tensile strength, (see table i). ■. • .,;
<br />Soil separation was pne of ..the firac*
<br />areas where • landscape,engineering-
<br />fabrics were used. Whoi ^^Ued uiidec^ ^
<br />I
<br />road base on roads orln parking a.,
<br />geotexule can reduce aggregate depth . ^
<br />requirements by up to 35%- arid‘reduce
<br />future potholes and itits» At the same •
<br />time, it separates the road base from the -
<br />subsoil, thus reducing aggregate. losa......
<br />Certain specific fortes are ^.ui^ oa..^. .
<br />a layer in the asphalt panHhg process'..
<br />greatly Improving the life-span, and
<br />structural integrity of the roaicrMtiftce.
<br />Sod 5tah ‘ ' tadon of cart pathg (fin and ,
<br />gravel roads, high traffic,oonscnii^bn
<br />sites, railroad track bedsi'sand, p^-s
<br />bases and poorly drained areas iue
<br />measurably Improved by The use of •
<br />geotexules.
<br />Specific fabrics that combine-'•-
<br />reasonable permeability-leveb'With high * ■-
<br />stren^ and U.V. resistance,.worit.well,,'
<br />os low-cost, reusable sediment control,,
<br />and access limitation fences on con
<br />struction sites. Golf courses are using
<br />geotextiles to provide a leuseable winter -
<br />cover for.. Jtting greens imd nurseries;' -
<br />are protecting terider pot pidnta from f >
<br />wind and freoe damage by.imiroundlng '-r
<br />them with fabric Spedfk^y design^'
<br />fabrics ^vith espedaily wide fiber spoc-': ^
<br />ing have enabled some inanuibceuren-,
<br />to add impervious layen to fabnes^for.
<br />use as lake, porKlaridstnaim bed'lirieis«^
<br />and the list seems to gt|^ and growa
<br />We are limited, howevec'ty morothan* •
<br />Just the ferdltty of our lmigixmtloM.h^
<br />the applied usea of these
<br />fortunately, sotne inanufSactiua .ar^
<br />distributors, although probebt^'^n^
<br />tendoned, are ieoommNmi|iz^.oatiyR'oi!*4.
<br />their fabrics fpr liaearfiirjwhich they*;,
<br />were not intetided'iand.aie'ccimpldtelyr'.'i,.
<br />inappropriate It renulna fiir thm'j^?<;
<br />for aU landsc^iiiig ^ etighieering pro>^»r
<br />fesaionals m serioualy.evaluate dieigf.k.
<br />needs in these.aieeaa^ whine vpfaa In^ ^
<br />product capability eid^. leoMIcM’ '
<br />themselves to thedevelpfanai^af
<br />and better ptcduct.Utunr Qgpttad^ pn- * ■
<br />not a unlveisal solution,ro
<br />field problems,, but-fir f f
<br />polyethelene fUm;or whabls.ih sedan^ '
<br />place i;
<br />ColoTfido Grem • Fall 1988 • 9
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