Woven Geotextile Fabric

How To Separate and Stabilize Utilizing Woven Geotextile Fabric

The stabilization of soil is critical for roadways, railways, or load-bearing construction. Poor drainage along with various materials can cause structural damage causing the entire project to fail. Due to the increase in costs for aggregate, many contractors and engineers are on the lookout for alternatives that will provide a structurally sound outcome that they need to utilize while not adding to costs.

Geotextiles are becoming the leading choice for these situations which allows for roads and other projects to be designed and installed the same way as beforehand. The only exception is a great deal less aggregate is required for the final results.

Geotextile will separate two layers of material for stabilization in order to work in a very effective manner in a structural sense.

Use aggregate over the soil and good soil over poor soil which is commonplace in the construction of roadways and railways. This can help in various stabilization issues and can perform many different projects including:

Roadways that are not permanent are perfect for geotextile fabric applications including haul roads that only used for a few reasons.

Maintaining the integrity of soil for a long project which includes building roads where it's critical that aggregate placed on top of soil that has a breathable and porous layer that will not allow drainage but will allow the rock to mix with the soil. Otherwise, this would reduce the lifetime of the road and could lead to early cracking.

By reinforcing soil below the geotextile fabric will provide the ability to carry high stretchable loads without collapsing or compromising the surface. This is a critical factor because geotextiles can extend the lifetime of roadways and railways.

Geotextile fabric will improve the lifetime of a retaining wall by allowing liquids and gasses to pass through it. This will reduce the impact that otherwise could impact the wall.

Driveway Fabric For Constructing Driveways:

Driveway fabric is the perfect choice for driveways by providing a support base which will offer more stability to surfaces while resisting potholes and ruts. Our woven fabric offers high durability which is critical for passing water through and not damage the driveway and but give great stabilization.

Non-woven fabric serves as a filter and is not a good choice for driveways because it does not offer any stabilization. Also, the non-woven fabric will stretch and will not be attractive for driveway use.

Straight-Forward Steps:

The first step is to remove all debris and any protruding objects such as stumps or rocks that will tear the fabric. Then, level the surface that does not have a curve for collecting water. If the area is prone to retaining water, use a drain or pipe to remove it.

Get your fabric and place it directly on the prepared surface. Simply roll it out flat and keep down folds and creases. Overlap the fabric by 1 to 3-inches if needed then use pins or staples to hold the fabric in place. Do not use stones or other heavy materials because they will not hold the fabric in place when applying the aggregate.

Put the gravel in its proper place and compact it to 6 – 8-inches. If necessary, trucks and loaders can be driven over the fabric without causing harm. That said, sudden stops, turns, and starts should be avoided. Dump the aggregate on the fabric and then proceed to push it into the fabric which will create a protection. Create a slight mound in order to allow drainage on the sides of the driveway.

What Kind Of Aggregate To Use For Geotextile Fabric Under Asphalt:

Your aggregate should be crushed and angular with a diameter of one-inch and 1% of dust. For this purpose, a limestone is a good option but other aggregate material will work just as well.

A Quality Aggregate Choice:

DGA Or Dense Grade Aggregate:

Driveway fabric is designed to allow for stones no larger than one-inch in size but stay away from rounded aggregate, it won't work due to the lack of interlocking because of the rounded shape.

What To Avoid When Constructing A Gravel Driveway:

If you have the patience for the added care needed for a gravel driveway, your costs will be a great deal less than paving. If constructing a gravel is something you have never done, here are things to keep in mind to avoid making mistakes:

Soft Ground:

Soil that is loaded with grass, roots, leaves, weeds, and other debris will create a soft surface and you do not want to spread gravel on this kind of soil. You will have many problems down the road. You must remove all topsoil and then strip the soil down to its hard rock. This will allow for a much more stable and reliable bed.

Bad Drainage:

Drainage is going to be a real problem if your driveway is not leveled properly. It will lead to water erosion and can eventually destroy the entire surface. You will be surrounded by mud holes or silt that are located below but will eventually surface into the gravel. Silt will loosen the gravel causing it to lose friction which will lead to a weakened state and will start separating.

Over time, your gravel will become a complete mess. To prevent this from taking place, put a layer of geotextile fabric between your subsoil and the bottom layer of gravel. If you are installing a path or trail consider the Mirafi 160n fabric that is a good balance of strength and drainage.

Prevent Your Gravel From Moving:

You might want to incorporate a gravel paver product in order to prevent your gravel from moving. It will offer a very stable surface and will reduce the chances of rutting. You can get gravel pavers in various different sizes and are made of plastic or a heavy-duty geotextile.

Another alternative is to place sides in your driveway. The sides can be constructed using wood or possibly a retaining wall made of brick or concrete blocks. These materials will also prevent moving outside the parameters of your driveway.

Do Not Choose The Wrong Shape Or Style Of Gravel:

Rule of thumb, your gravel should be at least 1 inch in diameter. If you don't adhere, you will have shifting and a great deal of sinking from the weight of your vehicle. The pieces must be angular with sharp edges. Rounded pieces are not able to lock into place with other pieces. These sharp pieces are as solid as a single large rock. That said, the final top layer should not be larger than the size of a golf ball. Also, the complete thickness of the driveway with layers of different sizes of gravel should be approximately 12-inches.

You Must Compact Each Layer:

Although your driveway is composed of different layers of gravel, each layer must be properly compacted. If not, your driveway will not be able to keep its shape. Each layer should be around 4-inches thick and the gravel pieces must be smaller than the layer directly below that one. You must compact the layer as you put them down by tamping with a hand-operated machine or roller.

In Conclusion:

You will have a great driveway that will last for a very long time if you construct it properly. Follow these important steps and sound advice and do not overlook steps. Your driveway will not be completed overnight. It will take hard work and time but cutting corners will lead to an unstable mess that will have to be done over again.

 For additional information on geotextile fabric please see the official TenCate website