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Stabilization of soil using geotextile

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 International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology 2023; 4(1): 24-29

E-ISSN: 2707-8272
P-ISSN: 2707-8264
IJRCET 2023; 4(1): 24-29 Stabilization of soil using geotextile
Received: 23-10-2022
Accepted: 04-12-2022
Himanshu Vimal, Nandini Kaushik and Devesh Jaysawal
Himanshu Vimal
B. Tech Student, Department
of Civil Engineering, Abstract
Dayalbagh Educational Engineering projects frequently use soil stabilization to boost soil strength and save building costs. Due
Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, to their many advantages over traditional stabilization methods, geotextiles, a type of geosynthetic
Uttar Pradesh, India material, have gained prominence during the past ten years. Geotextiles are permeable, flat sheets
constructed of polypropylene or polyester resin with yarns that have been knitted, needle-punched,
Nandini Kaushik woven, thermally or chemically bonded, or combined all of these techniques. They can be created
B. Tech Student, Department using materials that are readily available in the area, are inexpensive, and are easy to install. They are a
of Civil Engineering, great solution for big-scale construction projects like paving because they don't need highly skilled
Dayalbagh Educational workers and their quality can be readily managed.
Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra,
Through a partial interaction between the soil and the geotextile material, the process of improving the
Uttar Pradesh, India
soil with geotextile increases its stiffness and load-carrying ability. This enables the pavement system
Devesh Jaysawal to have a lower overall thickness while extending its lifespan and lowering maintenance expenses. An
Assistant Professor, important benefit of using geotextiles for soil stabilization is that it eliminates the requirement for
Department of Civil expensive earth resources to be extracted from rented pits. Instead, the first earth elements found on the
Engineering, Dayalbagh construction site can be used to pave roads, cutting down on construction expenses and the project's
Educational Institute, impact on the environment. Geotextiles are also good at keeping base layers and subgrade particles
Dayalbagh, Agra, from blending together. When there isn't a geotextile at the subgrade/base course interface, the
Uttar Pradesh, India subgrade contaminates the aggregate. Particles, which reduces the overall durability of the pavement
system. When subjected to dynamic loadings, geotextile-reinforced soils outperform conventional soil,
making them suitable for use in pavements for roads and airports.
Using geotextiles for soil stabilization is a cost-effective and sustainable approach to pavement
construction. It offers several benefits over traditional soil stabilization methods and can aid in
reducing construction costs, increasing service life, and minimizing the environmental impact of
construction projects.

Keywords: Geotechnical test, geotextile, woven fibre, non-woven fibres, stabilization of soil

Introduction
Soil stabilization is a crucial aspect of civil engineering projects to ensure the longevity and
safety of infrastructure. Geotextiles have emerged as a popular and effective solution for soil
stabilization in recent years. In this journal entry, we will explore the concept of soil
stabilization using geotextiles, their benefits, and their effectiveness in ensuring the stability
of the soil.

What are Geotextiles?

Geotextiles are flat, permeable sheets constructed of polyester or polypropylene resin with
yarns that have been knitted, needle-punched, woven, thermally or chemically bonded, or
bonded with a thermal agent. They belong to a class of geosynthetic materials that are
frequently employed in civil engineering projects to stabilize the soil. In comparison to
conventional stabilization methods, geotextiles offer a variety of benefits, including
simplicity of installation, lower cost, and enhanced performance.

Benefits of Geotextiles for Soil Stabilization

Geotextiles have many advantages to stabilizing soil. First, because geotextiles may be laid
with local resources, less expensive earth materials need to be carried to the construction site.
Corresponding Author: This lowers expenses while simultaneously lowering the project's negative environmental
Himanshu Vimal
B.Tech Student, Department
impact. Second, the intermixing of base layers and subgrade particles, which can reduce the
of Civil Engineering, overall strength of the pavement system, can be effectively avoided by using geotextiles.
Dayalbagh Educational Third, it has been shown that geotextiles can make the soil more rigid and capable of holding
Institute, Dayalbagh, Agra, more weight, reducing the pavement system's overall thickness while extending its lifespan
Uttar Pradesh, India and lowering maintenance costs.

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology https://www.civilengineeringjournals.com/ijrcet

Effectiveness of Geotextiles for Soil Stabilization Table 1: Difference between the woven and non-woven
Several research have been done to determine how effective geotextiles
geotextiles are at stabilizing soil. According to these Geotextiles
investigations, geotextiles are quite successful at enhancing Woven Non-Woven
the soil's strength and stability. It has been demonstrated Separation Separation
that geotextile-reinforced soils perform better than Reinforcement Filtration
conventional soils under dynamic loadings, making them High Load Capacity Drainage
perfect for usage in pavements for roads and airports. Plastic Like Felt-Like
The process of enhancing the subgrade soil's load-bearing Referred To by Tensile Strength Referred To by Weight
capacity and engineering qualities to support structures and Impermeable Permeable
pavements is known as soil stabilization. This study
investigated the use of geotextile as reinforcement to Literature Review
stabilize two soil samples (lateritic and clay). Particle size Geotextiles are frequently used to stabilize soil and boost
analysis, the Atterberg Limit test, moisture content, specific the effectiveness of paving systems. They ensure that the
gravity, the compaction test, and the California Bearing overall strength of the pavement system is not compromised
Ratio test are all performed as part of geotechnical testing. and protect base layers from contamination by subgrade
particles. Geotextile-reinforced soils outperform
Woven-Fabric Geotextile conventional soil under dynamic loading situations, and
Commonly found geotextiles are of the woven type and are they are robust, non-biodegradable, and extend the
manufactured by adopting techniques similar to weaving pavement's overall service life, according to D.A. Ogundare
usual clothing textiles. This type has the characteristic (2018) (1).
appearance of two sets of parallel threads or yarns. The yarn According to A.K. Choudhary, K.S. Gill, and J.N. Jha
numbing along the length is called the warp and the one (2011) (2), adding more layers of reinforcement to
perpendicular is called the weft. geotextiles lowers their expansion ratio and raises their
California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value. They discovered that
geogrid is more effective in strengthening soils than jute
geotextile.
According to Kaku et al. (2007) (3), geotextiles are also
helpful in landscaping to control weeds and preserve soil
conditions for plant growth.
In 1987, R. M. Koerner of Drexel University in Philadelphia
(4) distinguished between areal fill for stabilization and
linear embankments for containment dikes or barriers. Both
instances offer a wide range of potential applications and are
currently the subject of intensive activity.
According to Jon A. Epps, Ph.D. and Wayne A. Dunlap,
Ph.D. (1970) (5), soil compaction is a practical and
affordable strategy for stabilization. Additionally,
chemically stabilized soils need to be properly compacted.
According to Ankit Singh Negi et al. (6), lime works well as
a soil stabilizer for highly dynamic soils that frequently
Fig 1: Woven Geotextile expand and contract. Using lime strengthens the soil's
ability to carry loads, lessens the soil's tendency to shrink
Non-Woven Geotextile under wet conditions, lowers the plasticity index, raises the
Non-woven geotextiles are manufactured from either CBR value, and improves compression resistance over time.
continuous filament yarn or short staple fiber. The bonding Within a few hours, the stabilization process gets started.
of fibers is done using thermal, chemical or mechanical Anil Pandey et al.'s (7) investigation into cement-based soil
techniques or a combination of techniques. stabilization. The researchers came to the conclusion that
soil cement is a desirable base or sub-base material because
it offers strength and durability. It is also a great substitute
material for affordable construction.
In a study on bituminous soil stabilization, Sabbani
Venkatesh (8) discovered that cationic bituminous emulsion
is useful for enhancing subgrade soil strength.
Rathan Raj R et al. (9), who studied the impacts of solid
waste such as rice husk ash on the variance of different
index values, shear strength, CBR value, and compaction
characteristics of clay soil, examined the stabilization of soil
with rice husk ash. The outcomes demonstrated that clay
soil can be strengthened and have its qualities enhanced by
rice husk ash.
It is significant to note that these conclusions about
geotextiles and soil stabilization have been independently
Fig 2: Non-Woven Geotextile investigated and reported; therefore, care should be made to

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology https://www.civilengineeringjournals.com/ijrcet

ensure that the appropriate methods and materials are  Drainage

employed for each individual application.  Reinforcement
 Cushion
Objectives  Waterproofing
Sub-grade, sub-base, and course strength can be altered  Separation
using the technique of soil stabilization to boost their
bearing capacity by utilizing inexpensive, locally accessible The flexible material geotextile is frequently used in the
soils and building materials, this strategy can also assist construction of roads for a number of purposes, including
reduce the cost of building roads. separation, filtration, strengthening, and sealing. One of its
The process of stabilizing soil helps to improve some main uses is to function as a separator and stop the mixing
unfavorable characteristics of soils including excessive of two adjacent soils. For instance, the drainage and strength
swelling or shrinking, high flexibility, and difficulties characteristics of the aggregate material can be maintained
compacting. It reduces compressibility and minimizes by sandwiching geotextile between fine sub-grade soil and
settlements by facilitating compaction and boosting load- aggregates of the base course.
bearing capacity. By permitting liquid flow while preventing soil loss across
In addition, soil stabilization can enhance the soil's its plane, geotextile also contributes significantly to
permeability properties, enabling better drainage and filtration. This is made feasible by the geotextile's porosity
lowering the chance of water-related damage. before and permeability characteristics, which provide sufficient
beginning any project, it is crucial to do a careful analysis of liquid movement without jeopardizing the stability of the
the soil's features and attributes. soil system.
Deciding on a soil stabilization strategy may include Another benefit of geotextile is its capacity to strengthen the
carrying out laboratory experiments to ascertain the strength soil, much like steel does system.
and compressibility of the soil as well as field testing to Finally, geotextile can also be employed as a sealant. To
evaluate the behavior of the soil under load. form a waterproofing membrane, a non-woven geotextile
layer can be impregnated and placed between the old and
Research -methodology new asphalt layers. This contributes to decreasing the
The mode of operation of a geotextile in any application is vertical flow of water into the pavement structure, hence
defined by six discrete functions: increasing pavement longevity and lowering maintenance
 Filtration costs.

Table 2: Type of geotextiles

Function Type of geotextiles recommended
Drainage Non-woven (light or medium wt.)
Separation Non-woven (Heavy wt.) Woven
Reinforcement Non-Woven (Heavy wt.) Woven
Cushion Non-Woven (Light wt.) Woven
Filter Non-Woven Woven

Test Specific gravity ( ) is a property of the mineral or rock

Moisture content material forming soil grains.
The natural water content also called the natural moisture It is defined as
content is the ratio of the weight of water to the weight of
the solids in a given mass of soil. This ratio is usually
expressed as a percentage. To sight a few, natural moisture
content is used in determining the bearing capacity and
settlement. The natural moisture content will give an idea of
[The range of for common soils is 2.64 to 2.72]
the state of the soil in the field.
Compaction
W = [(W2-W3)/(W3-W1)] * 100
The dry unit weight ( ) is calculated as follows:
Specific gravity

Table 3: Test Results

Particulars Sample A Sample B
Where:
Liquid Limit (%) 36.10 43.60
W = the weight of the mold and the soil mass (kg)
Plastic Limit (%) 19.40 29.30
Wm = the weight of the mold (kg)
Plasticity Index (%) 15.10 14.30 w = the water content of the soil (%)
Moisture Content (%) 18.10 19.20 V = the volume of the mold (m3, typically 0.033m3)
Optimum Moisture
14.50 12.00
Content (O.M.C) (%) The derived dry unit weight along with the corresponding
Max. Dry Density(g\cm3) 1.29 1.35 water contents are plotted in a diagram along with the zero-
Specific Gravity 2.72 2.60 voids curve, a line showing the dry unit weight correlation

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology https://www.civilengineeringjournals.com/ijrcet

with the water content assuming that the soil is 100% Where, PT = Corrected test load corresponding to the
saturated. No matter how much energy is provided to the chosen penetration from the load penetration curve. PS =
sample, it is impossible to compact it beyond this curve. The Standard load for the same penetration.
zero-void curve is calculated as follows:
Table 4: CBR Experiment
Without Non- With Non-
CBR CBR
Sample Woven Woven
(%) (%)
2.5 mm 5 mm 2.5 mm 5 mm
Where A 3.5 3.9 3.8 14.1 14.9 15.0
GS = the specific gravity of soil particles (typically, B 5.8 6.6 6.9 20.2 17.2 21.0
GS~2.70)
= the saturated unit weight of the soil (KN/m3)
Typical curves derived from the Standard and Modified
Proctor tests, as well as the zero air voids curve.

Fig 4: Soil Sample

Tensile strength
• Wide width tensile test
Samples of a particular size must be prepared in order to test
geotextile specimens. Samples that are 200mm wide and
100mm long in both the warp and weft directions are
needed for this purpose. For evaluating these samples, the
machine strain rate should be 103% per minute. It is crucial
Fig 3: Dry unit wt. vs Water content
to highlight that the choice of wide-width samples was made
since geotextiles, particularly nonwoven ones, frequently
Atterberg limits
Testing of Atterberg limits is performed only on the soil acquire high Poisson's ratio values when put through testing
fraction passing through a No. 40 sieve, according to ASTM on a narrow strip. Therefore, it is essential to use larger
D4318-00 (ASTM, 2003). Therefore, mixtures of cohesive samples during the testing process in order to achieve
clayey soil and fine rubber particles (< 0.425 mm size) have reliable and representative results. The specimens should be
been studied and results showed that as the percentage of mounted centrally once they have been processed to
tire rubber increased, the clay content decreased and guarantee consistent and accurate testing. By adhering to
consequently Atterberg limits also decreased. In particular, these recommendations, It is feasible to gather trustworthy
the liquid limit stayed unchanged until levels of waste tire and pertinent information about the toughness and longevity
reached 30%, and then it started to decrease; the plastic limit of geotextiles, which can then be used to create and put into
stayed about the same up to 10% waste tire inclusion levels, practise efficient pavement separation systems.
started to decrease at levels of 20% and then stayed the
same. The plasticity index was found to stay the same for Tensile strength measure as Tgeotextile = Fb/ W (kN/m)
rubber chips up to 10% inclusion levels, while according to Fb = Observed breaking force (kN), and
N. Oikonomou and S. Mavridou this was found to slightly W = Specimen width (m)
decrease as the percentage of rubber increased to 10%. •
• Narrow strip tensile strength
CBR Test Narrow strip sample size 75 mm x 25 or 50 mm, strain rate
The California Bearing Ratio or CBR test is performed in 300 mm/min, tensile strength appears to be less than wide
construction materials laboratories to evaluate the strength width tensile strength, not recommended as design value
of soil subgrades and base course materials. Those who
design and engineer highways, airport runways and Grab tensile strength
taxiways, parking lots, and other pavements rely on CBR To ascertain the efficacy of geotextiles, particularly in
test values when selecting pavement and base thicknesses. separator applications in pavement, a construction
survivability test is required. With an initial clearance of 75
C.B.R. = (PT/PS) X 100 mm and a loading rate of 300mm/min, the specimen is
tested using 25 mm narrow width grips. Nonwoven

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology https://www.civilengineeringjournals.com/ijrcet

geotextiles often have a bigger impact than woven ones in Conclusion

the test because it depends on the interaction of the There are various crucial processes in the manufacturing
filaments in the geotextile. The geotextile's tensile strength process that must be followed to guarantee that the finished
is measured in KN. However, because the sample is only products comply with the appropriate standards and laws.
partially clamped, the stress does not spread across the These actions entail locating the product, choosing the right
sample's entire width. materials for it in accordance with the design guidelines and
The grab tensile strength is needed to design geotextiles for legal requirements, and monitoring the product's quality as
separation. The two lower stones are stretched laterally it is being produced.
when pressure is applied to the higher stone, which releases Additionally, it is crucial to guarantee that the items fit the
tension in the geotextile. Similar to the grab tensile strength requirements for the use for which they are designed. To
test, this tension exists. These tests can be used to decide ensure that the items are flawless and satisfy the criteria,
whether a geotextile's strength and durability are suitable for testing and inspection are required. In order to make sure
situations involving pavement separation. To maintain the that a product will work effectively and meet the
integrity of the pavement system, it is crucial to make sure requirements for a certain use, it is also critical to evaluate
that the geotextiles can sustain the anticipated loads and its appropriateness for that purpose. This evaluation entails
stresses. evaluating the product's manufacturing process, materials,
and design to make sure it is suitable for the intended
D= Diameter of stone application. Manufacturers can make sure that their products
1i= Initial length = D/2 + D/2+D/2 satisfy the essential quality requirements and are appropriate
lf= final length = D+2 (D/2) for their intended usage by taking these actions and doing
thorough assessments. Design engineers must have a good
Without any stone breakage or slippage, maximum strain in understanding of the necessary specifications in order to
geotextile can be expressed as, choose the best geotextile material for a project. Without
this knowledge, it may be difficult to choose the ideal
geotextile for the project's unique requirements.
Conducting testing on the material through an impartial
laboratory is one technique to confirm that the chosen
geotextile material complies with the required criteria. The
data sheets that manufacturers often supply. These sheets
may not provide the degree of detail required to ascertain
Treqd = required grab tensile strength reqd whether a specific geotextile material is suitable for a given
Ap = Applied pressure project, but they do include minimum average roll values
D= Maximum void diameter = 0.33Da (MARV) for quality control.
It is crucial to take samples of the material from the project
site and send them to a lab for testing in order to reduce the
environmental impact of utilising geotextiles in building
projects. The strength, permeability, and durability of the
geotextile may all be learned through this testing, which can
assist confirm that the material is suitable for the demands
of the particular project. Design engineers can choose the
right materials for a project by thoroughly evaluating and
analysing geotextile materials. This helps to ensure that the
project is finished successfully while minimising its
environmental impact.

Table 6: Advantages with or without geotextiles in road and

highways
Da= Average stone diameter

Table 5: MPU & GTP results

Particular Non-Woven Geotextile
Mass Per unit (g\m2) 205 Reference
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of Weak Clay with Strong Sand and Geogrid at Sand-

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International Journal of Research in Civil Engineering and Technology https://www.civilengineeringjournals.com/ijrcet

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