Geotextile​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Fabric for Water Removal: What It Does & Its Best Applications

Water is probably the most dangerous factor for any civil or geotechnical engineering project. The continuous passing of water through the soil, also called seepage, can cause erosion, subgrade failure, and structural decay of a drastic nature. To manage water flow and prevent the migration of soil particles, engineers used to rely on traditional granular filters—several layers of accurately graded sand and gravel—before the invention of modern geosynthetics. But this way was quite laborious, expensive, and required a lot of resources. Drainage and filtration have been revolutionized by the introduction of the geotextile fabric, which is a thin, very efficient, and both economical and highly effective solution.

The main purpose of geotextile fabric for drainage is to serve as a filter. The fabric placed in a drainage system, e.g., in a trench drain, behind a retaining wall, or under a road, gives room for water to go through it without hindrance but at the same time, it stops the movement of the smallest soil particles. This is filtration. The geotextile is a permeable barrier.

Geotextile sheet of good quality is usually made of polypropylene or polyester polymers and it has a network of very small, precisely controlled pores. The sizes of these pores are designed in such a way that they keep the fine particles of the soil around (fines) and at the same time, the fabric does not get blocked (a phenomenon referred to as clogging or blinding). The equilibrium is very important: if the pores are too big, the soil will move; if they are too small, water will not be able to pass and thus the hydrostatic pressure will build up. The material of the fabric arranges the soil closest to the geotextile thus creating a natural filter cake that over time it becomes more and more effective filtration.

Besides simple filtration, geotextiles also have a very important function of drainage whereby they channel water that needs to be got rid of from the structure. This function depends on two main hydraulic properties of the fabric.

Transmissivity denotes the capability of the geotextile to carry water within the plane of the fabric. Especially non-woven thick geotextiles are very good at this. They serve as a very permeable drain layer, drawing water from the surrounding soil and taking it sideways to a point of discharge, e.g., a collector pipe or weep hole. This is necessary for cases like blanket drains under landfills or to take away hydrostatic pressure from behind retaining structures.

Permittivity is the characteristic that permits water to go through the thickness of the geotextile, that is, across the plane. A high permittivity is required if one wants to be able to rapidly and efficiently get water both from the upper and from the lower layers of the soil that is in contact with the fabric, at the same time supporting the following in-plane flow (transmissivity). The Gsm geotextile Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd is frequently used in picking, as the weight per square meter is usually associated with the thickness and, consequently, the potential for great transmissivity although certain hydraulic tests are necessary for giving the precise performance data.

The kind of geotextile fabric that is to be used depends on the function that is needed and the soil conditions.

Non-woven Geotextiles

These fabrics are similar to felt and are made by chemically or mechanically bonding synthetic fibers (mostly polypropylene). They are thick, open-pored, and very permeable and therefore the most suitable for drainage and filtration. Their high thickness provides them with great transmissivity and support-like properties, which, in turn, is also good for the protection of geomembranes in the case of landfills being the sensitive application area.

Woven Geotextiles

These fabrics are produced by weaving monofilament or multifilament yarns and are generally stronger, thus mostly used for separation and reinforcement. Although they also allow water to pass, their lower permittivity and transmissivity compared to non-woven ones mean that they are usually the secondary sources for the dedicated drainage layers, though they carry out the separation function that is essential in the construction of roads on the soft subgrades.

Great Usage of Geotextile Fabric for Water Disposal

One of the main reasons for the geotextile's success across civil, landscape, and environmental engineering is its versatility.

In the building of motorways, a geotextile is the first layer, which is directly laid on the subgrade and is followed by the base aggregate. Here, separation is a major task for the fabric as it avoids the sinking of the aggregate into the soft subgrade soil by the aggregate. Most importantly, it also does filtration and drainage, thus water that gets into the road surface is allowed to escape from the layers that bear the load, and therefore the road failure is prevented and the pavement’s lifespan is prolonged.

Retaining Wall Drainage

Behind a retaining wall, hydrostatic pressure due to the saturated soil can cause the wall to break down. A geotextile is wrapped around the aggregate backfill and perforated drainpipe (French drain). The geotextile serves as a filter that is there for the long haul, thus making sure that the dirt fines are kept out of the aggregate and pipe, which in turn ensures that the drain is not blocked and water pressure is relieved efficiently.

Landscaping and Gardening

Geo fabric for gardening is a popular choice in small-scale projects. The geotextiles are used when making raised garden beds, patios or paths to separate the topsoil or decorative aggregate from the subgrade so as to stop the material from migrating and allow the drainage to be quick after heavy rain which is a must for plant health and stable surfaces.

Waterproofing Protection

Although a Geotextile fabric for waterproofing is not a water-flow stopping agent (as it is permeable), it is a very important protective element in waterproofing systems. Usually, a non-woven geotextile is laid atop the primary waterproofing layer, for example, a geomembrane (a thick plastic liner), so as to protect it from being punctured or rubbed by the sharp stones in the neighboring soil while backfilling or during the service life. This protective role is very important in reservoirs, tunnels, and basement ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌structures.

Leading​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the Industry: Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd

The production of top-notch, technologically advanced, quality-controlled specialized geosynthetics is a demanding process. Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd to a large extent has become a prominent contributor in the sector of infrastructure, by the production of a variety of materials among which the company is well known for the geotextile sheet. Their commitment to the exact gsm of the geotextile Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd specification is a guarantee that engineers will be able to choose the product that is best suited for the filtration and drainage capacity of the given project, whether it is a large-scale civil construction or a small drainage of the landscape area.

Conclusion

Geotextile is not just a synthetic fabric; it is a carefully designed component that performs the essential functions of filtration, separation, and drainage.

By substituting expensive and less efficient granular filters, it extends the stability and the lifespan of infrastructure projects of any size. From high-tech road construction to basic geo fabric for gardening, water management cannot be done without its help.

The progress of these products made by producers such as Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd is never-ending, and it is what keeps them firmly established as a fundamental element of modern, resilient ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌infrastructure.

Frequently​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What are the primary functions of a geotextile fabric in engineering?

A: Geotextiles have five major functions. These functions are separation, filtration, drainage, reinforcement, and protection.27 The most important functions for drainage are filtration (which allows water to pass but retains soil particles) and drainage (which is the actual movement of water in the fabric).

Q: How do non-woven geotextiles promote drainage?

A: Nonwoven geotextiles are characteristically thick and have high porosity. That is why they have high transmissivity. Due to this, water can flow very quickly on the fabric surface which is acting as a lateral drain layer and thus hydrostatic pressure is relieved.28

Q: Can geotextile fabric be used for waterproofing directly?

A: Certainly not. A geotextile fabric is a permeable material; hence it allows water to pass through.29 The main function of a geotextile in combination with a waterproofing membrane (like a geomembrane) is to protect against puncture and abrasion so that the waterproofing layer that is underneath stays intact.30

Q: What does the term GSM refer to in geotextiles?

A: GSM means grams per square meter. It is the measure of mass per unit area and is generally used as an approximate indicator of fabric thickness and the mechanical strength of the fabric. A higher gsm geotextile is usually thicker, stronger, and more suitable for heavy-duty applications.

Q: What is the purpose of using geo fabric for gardening?

A: In gardening and landscaping, the fabric serves mainly the functions of separation, which is to prevent the base aggregate from mixing with the topsoil, and filtration, which assures the good drainage of planters, pathways, and raised beds.

Q: What if the geotextile pore size is too small?

A: If the pores are too small relative to the surrounding soil particles, the fabric can become clogged or "blinded" by the soil fines. This stops the flow of water and defeats the drainage purpose, leading to hydrostatic pressure buildup.

Q: Is there a difference between a geotextile sheet and geotextile fabric?

A: Mostly the terms are used interchangeably. But "fabric" is the general term for the material, while a geotextile sheet or roll specifically refers to the product that is sold by manufacturers like Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd for installation.

Q: Who is the largest supplier of Geotextile Fabric?

A: The world market is handled by large multinational corporations, but the Indian market is very competitive. Besides, large domestic technical textile companies and specialized firms are the major suppliers and manufacturers of the Indian market. For example, a leading player like Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd, that is supplying a wide variety of geosynthetics including their popular Singhal Landscape Geotextile, for both national and international projects.31

Q: Who is the largest exporter of Geotextile Fabric?

A: Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd is usually the top global exporter of technical textiles, including geotextile fabrics. India is also a substantial global exporter. The large-scale manufacturers are mainly located in different industrial areas.

Q: Who is the largest manufacturer of Geotextile Fabric?

A: The biggest manufacturers in India are the top contributors to the country's technical textile sector.32 Singhal Industries Pvt Ltd is one of the major and most successful manufacturers and suppliers of various geotextiles, including the specifically developed Singhal Landscape Geotextile that is well-known for its quality and widely used in civil, environmental, and infrastructure projects all over the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌country.