Significant Differences Between Woven and Non- ...

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The use of geotextiles has steadily grown over the past century. Geotextiles were initially derived from existing textiles that were readily available on the market, such as carpet back and upholstery fabric. Manufacturers have modified geotextiles to provide increased benefits to roadway construction. While there are two main types (wovens and nonwovens), there is often still some confusion as to which product to use on your Jobsite. Common misconceptions about the functions of a woven geotextile vs. a nonwoven geotextile can often lead to added confusion. This tech-note will go into detail about the two main types of geotextiles and their functions.
 

Woven geotextiles:

First-generation woven geotextiles were made of slit tapes. Slit tapes are extruded flat yarns woven at 90-degree angles to yield a durable textile. Due to their wide smooth surface, they have very poor water permittivity and low soil interaction properties. These factors make them a poor choice for civil applications, especially in wet conditions. 

Over time, the development of high-performance woven geotextiles has led to a more effective material. These developments have improved flow rates and higher interaction coefficients, making them much more suitable for civil applications by providing separation, confinement, and reinforcement. They also allow for improved filtration and drainage.
 

Nonwoven Geotextiles:

Similar to wovens, nonwoven geotextiles are made using a synthetic textile. However, they have a more random structure which is produced by the interlocking of fibers. Wovens and nonwovens are used in similar applications, leading to confusion. The easiest way to identify the difference between a woven and nonwoven geotextile is by its physical attributes. Nonwoven geotextiles look and feel like felt, with the characteristic "fuzzy" look to the material.

When it comes to the manufacturing of a nonwoven geotextile, there are many different methods used today. The most common manufacturing method is by needle-punching. Needle-punched nonwoven geotextiles are made by taking a large number of small fiber fibers and using a barbed needle to interlock the fibers together. Nonwoven geotextiles are generally used to provide separation, combined with filtration and drainage functions when used in a civil application.
 
The differences between woven and nonwoven geotextiles can be challenging to determine when looking at material specifications. Generally, wovens have higher strength values, while nonwovens have higher flow rates and permittivity. The easiest way to distinguish the difference between the two materials is by starting with elongation. Nonwovens will have much higher elongation than a woven. A nonwoven specification will list the elongation as being greater than 50%, while a woven will be listed as between 5% and 25%; if listed at all.

The succeeding chart shows two examples of standard specifications for traditional woven and nonwoven materials. There are significant differences regarding their elongation and permittivity. However, tensile strengths are similar, given they are manufactured from similar materials. All of these items are important to consider when choosing the correct type of geotextile for your application. It's essential to make sure you are using the right product for the right reasons.
 

Weight of Nonwovens:

When looking at the differences between woven and nonwoven geotextiles, another point of confusion is their weight. In both examples below, the weights are not listed. The weight of a woven geotextile is hardly ever specified. The reason being that they are typically used to provide separation and reinforcement, and are not dependent on the weight.

Conversely, the weight of a nonwoven geotextile is often specified, which is why you will typically hear or say, &#;I am looking for an 8oz, 4oz, 10oz, etc.&#; For a long time, nonwoven geotextiles have been measured by their weight, meaning the finished product would be 8oz per square yard. The remainder of the specifications, which include the strength, puncture, etc. would be a direct result of the product weight.

As the use of geotextiles has grown and developed, the manufacturing processes have changed as well. Now, most nonwovens can be manufactured with a lighter weight and still achieve the same strength properties, leading to reduced costs. There are always exceptions, such as in the case of using nonwovens as cushion geotextiles underneath geomembranes. In such instances, the puncture, weight, and thickness properties are more critical than the permittivity and strength properties.
 

 

Woven

 

Nonwoven

 

 

 

Comparing specifications of a woven and nonwoven.  In this case they have similar strengths, however there are large differences in elongation and permittivity.

 

 

Layfield is a leading North American manufacturer, distributor and installer of geosynthetics.  We hope that you found this article useful and if you have any questions please feel free to contact Layfield technical services at [ protected]. 
 

Significant Differences Between Woven and Non-Woven Geotextiles &#; Winfab

Benefits of Woven and Nonwoven Geotextiles

 

Woven geotextile fabrics are manufactured through traditional weaving of individual threads into sizeable sheets. Individual threads are made out of different kinds of materials, ranging from fibrillated yarns to monofilaments, slit films, etc. They are woven together on a specialized loom to create a large, uniform piece or sheet of geotextile material. Because of this process, woven geotextiles offer much higher load capacities, making them ideal for heavy-duty applications such as road construction. However, weaving together films or threads create a not-so-porous surface, making woven textiles a poor fit for drainage projects. Just the same, their non-porous structure makes them ideal for certain erosion control projects wherein water must be led or passed over the surface, while preventing it from draining through the soil below. Other ideal characteristics of woven geotextiles include corrosion resistance and long-term durability.

Non-woven geotextile on the other hand, is produced by bonding, instead of weaving, materials together. This is done either with the use of chemicals and/or heat, or through other methods like needle punching. These non-woven fabrics are typically made out of synthetic materials and are widely used in separation and filtering applications. Unlike their woven counterparts, non-woven fabrics aren&#;t as good a fit for reinforcement and stabilization projects, although they are a better choice for special uses like the protection of geomembrane lining systems against exterior or interior penetrations.

Non-woven geotextiles break down much faster than woven geotextiles because they don&#;t have the same reinforced strength as layers of material woven together do. However, where pooling or standing water is a problem, non-woven geotextiles offer a better choice in the management of such issues. Nevertheless, non woven fabrics still offer good durability and strength on top of great drainage properties, making them suitable for a range of applications.

WinFab has been manufacturing woven geotextile fabrics and a wide range of other geotextile products for environmental and industrial applications. Choose from a complete selection of products that include high-performance woven and nonwoven fabrics, high-performance geotextiles, and a great variety of ground cover fabrics, silt fences, and industry grade products for the agriculture and construction industries.

Woven vs Non Woven Geotextile Landscaping Fabric

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Landscaping fabrics are a crucial part of any hardscape project. They separate, reinforce, filter, allow for drainage, and filtration. Though not every type of fabric is suitable for every application in a hardscape project and there are numerous variables that need to be considered when deciding on the fabric to use, there are two specifically important geotextiles that hardscapers need to understand and the properties to them.

Woven and non-woven geotextiles have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to any installation. Where one excels, the other may not perform in the same way. This is based on their properties and what they offer for an application. In this article, we are going to highlight their similarities and differences and where they may be used in a typical hardscape installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Types of Landscape Fabric / Geotextiles

 

Geotextiles provide separation, reinforcement, filtration, and/or drainage. This is specifically important where subgrade materials remain saturated for a portion of the year or there are multiple freeze-thaw cycles in the winter.

The separation of the subgrade material from the base material is important to prevent migration of the soil subgrade into the base material. This upwards migration of the soil subgrade into the base material is caused by the load that the pavement bears. Think about when you step your boot into some mud. You boot is the load pushing down on the mud causing it to shift horizontally and upwards. The reinforcement or stabilization of your base material when using geotextile helps to spread the load out over a greater area because of the geotextile being in tension and providing tensile strength to your base material. The filtration of geotextiles allow water to be spread out over a wider area and have greater control of the drainage of the water. Drainage allows the water to freely flow through the geotextile.

When choosing the right geotextile for your project, there are a few factors that we need to consider. Before we get to those factors, we need to learn more about the two major types of geotextiles and what their properties are.

 

Woven Geotextile Landscape Fabric

Woven geotextile fabric is made of polypropylene filaments connected to a network that provide more stabilization strength than the non-woven geotextile. This geotextile is going to provide separation, filtration, and reinforcement strength when installed.

 

 

Woven geotextile fabric will be used in heavier dynamic and static load projects such as driveways to add additional reinforcement to the base by spreading the load out over a greater area. Where the subsoil is soft and unstable or water is less likely to permeate through a subgrade, woven geotextile is likely what you will opt for as drainage into the subgrade is not as important. However, this does not mean that drainage is not important for that particular project. Drainage is always important, and since we are not getting the proper drainage that we would need when deciding to opt for a woven geotextile, we need to install a drainage system for that project using perforated or solid pipes and drains to collect that water and exfiltrate it out of the system. Otherwise you are creating a reservoir for that water to stand and cause issues over time.

 

Non-Woven Geotextile Landscape Fabric

Non woven geotextile fabric is made of polypropylene fibers that are randomly connected through a network. These fibers are small components of the network creating a felt-like feel to it. This geotextile is going to provide separation, filtration, and drainage when installed. With many varieties of non woven geotextiles to choose from, the strength of the fabric is typically 80-90 lbs grab tensile strength and above that are suited for a hardscape installation under interlock and retaining wall projects, in addition to other landscape drainage projects. These would be considered a commercial grade landscape fabric as opposed to a weed barrier fabric.

 

 

The main difference between woven geotextile vs non woven geotextile is the drainage and reinforcement property. Non woven geotextile is a water permeable landscape fabric. With drainage being the aspect in which non woven geotextile fabrics excel when compared to woven geotextile, this becomes a primary focus for areas of projects that require that drainage ability. This means projects that experience pedestrian traffic, low dynamic loads, low static loads, hard subgrades, and require the ability to drain freely, then non woven geotextile fabric is the best option.

This is key in projects that require the separation of material from cross-contamination while possessing the ability to allow water to drain through it such as a French drain. In this application, a perforated drainage pipe is surrounded by a clean stone and wrapped all the way around with a non woven geotextile filter fabric. The water from the surface can permeate through the non woven geotextile, through the clean stone, and into the drainage pipe. This ensures the filtration of water through the fabric without displacing any of the material around it. The same can be said in hardscape projects that require the same function.

Another hardscape application that is specific to non woven geotextile would be a concrete overlay. We know that the base of our concrete overlay is a hard material that does not require stabilization or reinforcement. What we require is for any water that enters the system to drain through and filter out of the system. This is why a non woven geotextile is always recommended in this application.

Additionally a non woven geotextile is typically a retaining wall fabric, however a woven geotextile can be used for the foundation / base of the retaining wall. The remainder of the wall can be covered with a non woven geotextile as the main properties for the lateral and top portion of the fabric is for separation, filtration, and drainage and not reinforcement. This allows for water to penetrate through the backfilled portion of the wall and into the drain without displacing the subgrade and soil material into the backfill material.

 

 

Geogrid can be used in combination to non woven landscape fabric in order to provide reinforcement / stabilization of the base material placed on top of it. In this application, the non-woven geotextile is installed first providing the separation, filtration, and drainage to the project with the geogrid immediately installed on top of this providing the reinforcement / stabilization. Because the non-woven geotextile is more flexible than the woven geotextile, the aggregate is still able to strikethrough the apertures of the geogrid and function correctly.

 

 

How to Use Landscape Fabric

 

When installing a geotextile, the minimum overlap from one piece to another is 12&#; with this increasing as the softer the subgrade is. In addition to this, the pieces should be shingled away from a foundation meaning the pieces from the foundation should be placed under the next piece. This allows the water to travel from piece to piece away from the foundation without moving underneath a piece of fabric. As the geotextile is rolled out and cut, the pieces need to be in tension as the base material is being prepared on top of it. This means that all of the wrinkles need to be removed before dumping gravel on top and preparing your base. It is best to limit the amount of cutting of the fabric as possible. It is also important when installing a fabric for your project, that it will wrap up the sides of the project to further provide separation of the subgrade from the sides into the base material.

Separation of the subgrade from our base material is one of the key benefits of using a geotextile. If we think back to our boot in the mud example, when a material is put under pressure of a load then that material has the tendency to move horizontally. In the case of the boot, that material under pressure from the load moves upwards as well. The separation of the subgrade under tension of the geotextile prevents the upward movement of the subgrade into our base material by spreading that load out over a larger area. It also prevents the horizontal movement of that same subgrade from the sides of our excavation into our base material.

There are numerous benefits to installing geotextiles in your hardscape / landscape projects. There are factors that need to be considered when choosing the right geotextile for your application, but this article will help you in making that choice for the longevity of your hardscape / landscape project.

 

 

non woven ltimate Guide to Geotextiles

Overview

This article will cover the following topics about Geotextile Fabrics and their use so you can be sure you're selecting the right fabric for your application. 

What is a Geotextile?

What are Geotextile fabrics made of? 

What are the differences between Woven and Non-Woven geotextiles?

a brief history of Geotextiles?

What are the 6 primary applications of Geotextiles?

Separation, Stabilization, Reinforcement, Filtration, Moisture Barrier, Drainage

 

What is a Geotextile?

A Geotextile is permeable fabrics that can filter, separate, reinforce, drain, or protect the soil. These kinds of fabrics are usually made from polyester or polypropylene and typically made in three forms; woven, needle punched, and heat bonded.

Geotextiles can endure a wide range of extremities. They are long-lasting and able to soften the fall when someone falls on them. Permeability means the surface of geotextiles has tiny pores that allow gases or liquid to pass through.

 

What are Geotextile Fabrics Made of?

Geotextiles are usually made from polyester or polypropylene. The fibers used in manufacturing geotextile are constructed of natural or synthetic fibers depending on the desired application.  

Natural fibers are usually in the form of paper strips, wood shavings, jute nets, or wool mulch. In some soil reinforcement projects geotextiles must last for more than a hundred years. However, bio-degradable natural fabrics are intentionally made to have a short lifespan. They are usually used in inhibition of soil erosion until vegetation grows in the area.

 

Types of Natural Fiber Geotexiles

 

Jute:

This is a versatile vegetable fiber that is highly biodegradable and can perfectly mix with the soil and provide nutrients for the vegetation. However, quick biodegradation is also a weakness when used as a geotextile. Nevertheless, their lifespan can be stretched up to 20 years through various treatments and blending. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture customized biodegradable jute geotextile with specific tenacity, porosity, permeability, as well as transmissibility as per the need and location. Factors such as the amount of water available, soil composition, water flow, water quality, and landscape among others will determine the application and the choice of jute geotextile to use, including.

 

 

Coir:

 also known as a Coir mat is a type of natural fiber made from the natural fiber that taken from the exterior husk of coconuts. Often this materials is made into Turf Reinforcement Mats (TRM), doormats, mattresses, or even into brushes. Many enjoy the natural aspect of using coconut fiber instead of synthetics and its naturally durable properties along with its resistance to salt water damage also being desirable.  

 

Synthetic fibers used as geotextile raw materials are typically polyamide, polyester, polyethylene, and polypropylene. The last one is the oldest synthetic fiber, having been discovered in . Many nonwoven fabrics are made of synthetic fibers using the "needlepunching" process shown below.

 

Types of Synthetic Fiber Geotextiles

 

Polyamide (PA)

: Polyamide is further categorized into two &#; Nylon 6 and Nylon 6.6 however, they are rarely used in geotextiles. The first polyamide (Nylon 6) is an aliphatic polyamide made from the polymerization of petroleum derivative known as caprolactam. The second type of polyamide is made from the polymerization of the salt of adipic acid as well as hexamethylene diamine. They are produced in the thread-like forms which are then cut into small granules. The resulting products usually have much more strength but with fewer moduli compared to polyester and polypropylene. They are also susceptible to hydrolysis.

 

 

Polyesters (PSF)

: Are synthesized by polymerization of ethylene glycol with either terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate acid. The resulting product has much more strength modulus, skulk resistance as well as general chemical inertness, thus making it a perfect fit for geotextiles. However, it is affected by a polar solvent such as phenol, benzyl alcohol, and meta-cresol, and at the pH range of between 7 and 10, it can last up to 50 years. This geotextile material possesses very high resistance to UV radiation. However, its installation should be done with care to prevent unnecessary exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

 

Polyethylene (PE)

: Can be manufactured in a crystalline form, which is an essential trait in any fiber-forming polymer. The three main types of polyethylene are low density (LDPE), linear low density (LLDPE), and a the very common high density (HDPE).  HDPE can also be found in a number of Root Barriers or

: Can be manufactured in a crystalline form, which is an essential trait in any fiber-forming polymer. The three main types of polyethylene are low density (LDPE), linear low density (LLDPE), and a the very common high density (HDPE). HDPE can also be found in a number of Root Barriers or Bamboo Barriers

 

Polypropylene (PP)

: A crystalline thermoplastic made by polymerization of propylene monomers with catalyst Zeigler-Natta.

 

Illustration above of the needle-punching process used in forming non-woven geotextiles

 

Whats the Difference Between a Woven and Non-Woven Geotextile? 

Woven geotextiles are made by blending and weaving textiles together on a loom, creating a single an even length. The end product is not only sturdy and strong, which makes them excellent for applications such as car parks and road constructions but also incredibly well equipped to endure any ground stabilization problems.

The resulting products are moderately impermeable and don&#;t provide the best separations against fines. However, woven geotextile will resist any UV degradation and be a better fit for long-lasting applications.
Mostly, woven geotextiles are measured based on tensile strength as well as strain, which is the material&#;s resistance to breaking tension.

Woven geotextiles provide drainage by enabling water to seep through while filtering out the sediments that might block the rest of the drainage system. They also protect the construction project against erosion by functioning as a separation barricade between the materials below and above the textiles.

Though all geotextiles can accomplish all these tasks the six primary functions of a geotextile are to filter, drain, separate, reinforce, waterproof, and protect. For the road construction project, different fabrics are required for different tasks. And for you to decide which geotextile is right for your construction project, you must start with your end objective in mind.

 

 

 

"The six primary functions of a geotextile are to filter, drain, separate,
reinforce, waterproof, and protect."

 

 

 

Woven textiles can be produced from a number of materials; however, the most common one is typically weave or yarn-blend. When completed, woven geotextiles usually resemble plastic sheets, with the weaving only differentiated upon close examination. Whether you need a medium &#; or light-weight weave will depend entirely on the purpose of your construction project.   

With woven geotextile, the impermeability is a massive asset where the top priority is strength. And having said that, it can be a disadvantage where the major priority is drainage because its tight woven tapes don't allow water to pass through to the lower layers of the fabrics.*

As time progresses, the development of woven geotextiles has resulted in more efficient materials. These new developments have led to the improvement of flow rate as well as higher interaction coefficients, thus making them more suitable for almost all kinds of civil applications by offering confinement, separation, and reinforcement. They also allow for much more improved filtration and drainage.  

*Note there are now High Performance Woven Fabrics available that do allow for both high strength & drainage 

Nonwoven geotextiles are manufactured by entangling fibers, both long and short, together through either needle punching or other suitable methods. In some instances, thermal treatment is used to improve further the tensile of the geotextile. Because of this manufacturing process, alongside their permeability, non-woven geotextiles are typically used in drainage applications, separation, filtration as well as protection.
Needle-punched non-woven fabrics are usually made by taking a huge number of tiny textiles and using a barbed needle to mesh the fabrics together. 

Non-woven geotextiles are usually measured by their weight, for example, gsm/grams per square meter, or ounces per square yard.

The non-woven geotextile usually breaks down quicker than woven geotextiles. However, for construction projects where water pooling is the main concern, non-woven fabrics are usually the best choice as they enable better drainage.

The differences between non-woven and woven geotextiles can be hard to establish when looking at the specifications of the materials. But, woven geotextiles are generally made with higher strength, while non-woven geotextiles have much higher flow rates.

 

Differentiating the fabric

The easiest way to differentiate between the two fabrics is by checking the elongation. Generally, non-woven geotextiles have much higher elongation than their woven counterparts. A non-woven geotextile specification will include elongation as superior to 50%, while woven geotextiles list elongation as low as 5% and 25%. Sometimes this is not even listed.

Usually, when one looks for the differences between woven and non-woven fabrics, they tend to confuse the weights between the two. The weight of woven geotextile is seldom listed because these materials are usually used to offer separation and reinforcement, and thus are not weight dependent.
On the contrary, the weight of non-woven geotextile is a common differentiation, often nonwoven fabrics will be named by their ounces per square yard such as 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and so on. The higher the weight the more heavy duty the fabric. 

Geotextiles have always been measured by their weight, so a finished fabric would be 8oz per square yard. The two other specifications &#; strength and puncture &#; would be direct to the weight of the product. 

 

 

 

Often Nonwoven fabrics will be named by their ounces per square yard such as 4oz, 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and so on.
The higher the weight the more heavy duty the fabric.

 

 

 

 

What is the History of Geotextiles? 

Geotextiles were originally referred to as filter fabrics. While many people believe geotextiles were first made by R.J Berrett in the s, the history of these materials goes further back. In the age of pharaohs, geotextiles were often used in roadways constructions to offer more stability on the roads and their edges.

Geotextiles are believed to be among the first even textile products to be used by humans in history. Many Egyptian excavation sites have revealed the use of grass mats and linen. During the early times, geotextiles were made with natural fibers or a mixture of vegetation and soil to enhance the stability of roads. 

 

How are Geotextiles Used Today? 

Geotextiles are everywhere in new construction. They can be found in roads, railways, harbor works, drains, breakwaters, and on hillside erosion control applications. The most common applications of geotextiles include Separation, Stabilization, Reinforcement, Filtration, Moisture Barrier (or waterproofing), and Drainage.

 

6 Applications of Geotextiles: 

 

1. Separation

Fabric is laid between two layers of different materials, such as two different soil types, new construction, and soil, or new and old pavement. Separation is sometimes used interchangeably with stabilization, but there are fine distinctions.

 

2. Stabilization

In stabilization, the fabric is applied on top of a material that is highly compressible. Most often, this material is wet, soft soil. Here, the geotextile allows water to seep from the soft soil to draining material. As a result, it consolidates the basement layer, thus strengthening it and making it a more trustworthy base.

Above Geotextile Road Base Fabric Illustration by Tencate Geo

 

3. Reinforcement

In reinforcement, the geotextile acts as a source of strength instead of strengthening the bottom layer like in stabilization. Using geotextile as reinforcement material is usually in the following areas:

Steep slopes: allows the building of steeper slopes as well as save the needed land surface and seal material  

Retaining walls: in this application, the retaining walls with geotextile materials accommodate settlements much effective than traditional construction materials.  

Control water erosion of bay shores, sea embankments.  

 Land reclamation using hydraulic fill  

 

4. Filtration  

Using geotextile infiltration is similar to using in stabilization. The main aim in both cases is to allow the passage of water from the covered layer. The goal of this application is to remove water while preventing soil and or any other fine particles from passing through. This is achieved in combination with a filter behind the geotextile. In this process, water is removed, rather than being filtered into a different material.

 

5. Moisture Barrier

This application is almost the direct opposite of the above applications. In the moisture barrier, the geotextile is used to block water rather than allowing water to pass through. This is accomplished by applying an asphaltic suspension. As a result, the fabric becomes impermeable and suitable for use in construction projects such as pavement rehabilitation.  

 

6. Drainage

Geotextile material can help gather water or gas and then transport it along its plane, therefore providing seamless transmission. This process is what is traditionally called drainage function, which can be highly effective in chimney drains as well as drip drains.  

 

Resources:

 

Ryan Matheson

Product Director  

For more ecogeox geosynthetics factoryinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

 

Ryan is member of the Mainline product team and as a former landscape contractor lends his expertise to Mainline blog. Ryan can be reached by emailing Support@ mainlinematerials.com 

What's the Best Geotextile Landscape Fabric for Draining Water?

 

What's the Best Landscape Fabric for Draining Water?

Not all Landscape Fabrics function the same way, so be sure to use Non-woven geotextile for proper drainage

On the surface, there seems to be little difference between woven and non-woven geotextile landscape fabrics. Both are designed to increase soil stabilization and ground support. However, depending on what surface you have and what your goals are, choosing the right landscape fabric for drainage makes all the difference to the outcome of your project.

Non-woven geotextile fabric is the best choice for drainage applications where water flow through (permeability) is the main concern. Non-woven landscape fabric is commonly used in French-drains, drain-fields, and erosion control. 

There are only two primary types of fabrics used in landscape, and construction applications; woven geotextile, and non-woven geotextile fabric. Read on to discover which one is more suitable for your application.

 

Drainage & Filtration Fabric &#; 4 oz Non Woven

$223.19

 

Drainage & Filtration Fabric &#; 6 oz Non Woven

$662.03

 

Geotextile Landscape Fabrics: Non-Woven VS. Woven

Woven Geotextiles are strong, finely spun strips of linen, polypropylene, or polyester material. It is typically impermeable, and water drainage through the material is minimal.

This geotextile&#;s durability (pull strength) and warp resistance is ideal beneath high load capacity surfaces, including gravel/rock footpaths, highways, and parking lots. 

 

Common Non-Woven Fabric Applications

Water flow (permeability)

Xeriscaping

Filtration

 

Common Woven Fabric Strengths:

As a weed barrier

Beneath roads/paths

Parking lots

Nonwoven fabric in French Drain

Woven fabric layer under driveway

Below are the benefits of woven and non-woven geotextile products to help you make an informed decision.

 

Non-Woven geotextile fabric explained

Needle-punched and poly-spun varieties of non-woven geotextile fabric allow water to easily flow through and are both sturdy and versatile for landscaping drainage. The non-woven geotextile fabric is most commonly used as a landscape material to support adequate drainage, filtration, and ground stabilization.

Available as lightweight, medium weight, and heavy weight, these fabrics feel like felt to the touch.

 

Fabric Weight Categories:

 

Light weight (2 oz. to 3 oz.)

High flow rates, substrate cushioning, and drain-field type applications. The 3 oz weight is often used behind retaining walls to act as a barrier between the dirt and gravel.

 

Medium weight (4 oz. to 6 oz.)

A medium weight non-woven fabrics allows water penetration without displacing existing soils. It also helps in controlling soil erosion, separation and drainage functions (French-drains). Additionally we see these weighted fabrics utilized beneath gravel paths acting as a separation barrier between the gravel and the dirt below.

 

Heavy weight (8 oz. to 16 oz.)

Heavy weight non-woven fabrics are great for applications requiring strength and permeability. They are more resistant to puncturing and their durability makes them a good choice underneath large rip-rap, geomembrane cushioning when applied to retention barriers and artificial lakes. Please note that toward the upper end of the weight spectrum (10 oz +) the water flow rate diminishes significantly due to the thickness of the material.

Heavy non-wovens are also used as a separation layer for sand under volleyball courts (8 oz), and to prevent the mixing of ballast and soil under railroad tracks (16 oz).

Note: If you are installing artificial turf, or pavers we have a Drainage mat roll available in multiple sizes and types.

 

PRO TIP:

 

For a french drain application, 4 oz fabric is most commonly used. This fabric provides a nice mix of durability and high water water flow rates. 

View our full selection non-woven fabric by weight and size >

 

 

Woven Geotextile Fabric Explained

Woven Geotextiles also called driveway matting are processed by pressing and cutting polypropylene layers and then weaving them into high tensile sheets. The result is a premium filter that is resistant to foreign particle clogging from dirt, sand, or other debris.

The woven geotextile fabric can bear heavy loads, tolerate road rut, extend pavement life, and act as a significant sediment barrier.  

It should be noted that this fabric&#;s low permeability is not ideal where drainage is necessary. Woven geotextile fabrics work best when a tightly wound, nonporous, uniform material is needed. 

Woven geotextiles are an excellent choice for projects requiring water to flow over a subsurface. 

 

Advantages of Woven Fabrics:

Strength and durability

Ground stabilization

Woven ground cover fabrics resist UV decay

Retains tension

 

Three categories of woven fabric:

Woven geotextiles are versatile and are manufactured in three varieties: slit film woven geotextiles, monofilament geotextiles, and combination woven geotextiles.

 

Silt Film Woven Geotextiles

Made of interlaced plastic sheets, Silt Film is used to separate and stabilize weaker soils. It is has a lower permeability than drainage fabric and can be quickly setup around a jobsite. This product is also known as silt fence and serves as a vertical barrier held in place with wooden or metal stakes to help prevents sediment from flowing downhill. 

This type of fabric is also used under gravel paths and for some road construction applications. 

 

Monofilament Geotextiles

Monofilament fabrics are typically constructed from interlaced poly fibers or tape yarns. This class of fabric is much stronger than silt film and will perform well on under heavy loads.

These fabrics are typically used for filtration projects, such as spillway areas, bulkhead applications, seawalls, and securing shorelines.

 

Combination Woven Geotextiles

Combination or hybrid fabrics consist of yarns woven together in alternating patterns that provide greater strength than monofilaments. The weave also enables water to flow through easily. These fabrics are most appropriately used in projects requiring strength and specific fluid mechanics.

In general these high end geotextiles are typically specified by a project engineer or called out on a plan. 

 

PRO TIP:

 

Woven fabrics excel at strength, but typically suffer in drainage unless they are a high end monofilament or combination fabric. 

 

Woven Geotextile Fabrics

 

ESS5 Woven Geotextile Fabric - Geotex 200ST Close Match - 12.5' x 108'

$450.25

 

ESS5 Woven Geotextile Fabric - Geotex 200ST Close Match - 17.5' x 103'

$650.13

 

Geotex 200ST - Woven Geotextile Fabric - 12.5' x 432'

$1,063.64

 

Geotex 200ST - Woven Geotextile Fabric - 15' x 360'

$1,063.64

 

 

The Bottom Line

The best type of fabric for a drainage project such as a drain field or french drain is non-woven geotextile landscape fabric.

If you're project requires high strength and also good drainage then a high end combination woven fabric could be suitable for your application. If you're looking for a particular model/brand of fabric that you don't see on our site then please contact us and let us know what you're looking for as we likely supply the fabric or offer an equivalent product.  

Note: We also offer Curlex erosion control products as well.

Eastgate Supply Sales and Support - (800) 583-

 

Resources:

DOWNLOAD FULL GEOTEX INSTALL GUIDE HERE > 

NONWOVEN FABRIC APPLICATION SHEET >

Woven & Non-woven Geotextile Fabric

Geotextiles are placed at the tension surface to strengthen the soil. Geotextiles are also used for sand dune armoring to protect upland coastal property from storm surge, wave action, and flooding.

 

HISTORY OF GEOTEXTILES

Prior to , geotextiles was called plastic filler cloth or filter fabric. Because of the increase in the number of products being manufactured to be used as filter cloth, the specifications were revised. This material is now identified as Geotextile.

Geotextiles, an emerging field in the civil/construction engineering and other fields, offer great potential to utilize these fabrics in different areas of applications globally. Geotextiles are proving to be more cost-effective to traditional road construction methods. Fabric made are Woven, needle punched, heat bonded, Non-Woven, integrated loops or tufted loops Geotextiles are robust, permeable and durable fabrics. These fabrics have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain and is designed to increase soil stabilization and ground support in a given location. Typically made from polypropylene or polyester or jute fibers/yarns. These geotextiles are high in strength to allow for maximum slope support, stabilization and erosion control. Geo fabric options include a felt-like nonwoven fabric as well as a woven polypropylene, synthetic or jute geotextile. Furthermore, the design of a geotextile is of paramount importance for any civil engineering application.

Families of Geotextiles

Geotextile composites have been developed and introduced products such Geotextiles, Geogrids, geonets, geomembrane, geosynthetic clay liners, geo pipes and geocomposites can yield benefits in geotechnical and environmental engineering design. Geotextiles and related products. Mostly geotextiles are placed at the tension surface to strengthen the soil. A large sand-filled container (SFC) within the dune system prevents storm erosion from proceeding beyond the SFC. Using a sloped unit rather than a single tube eliminates damaging scour.

Design features of geotextiles to retain properties

Durability

Absorbency

Appearance

Expected serviceability of Geotextiles.

Reliable long-term performance

Should extend the service life of roads and highways

Ensures permanent load-carrying capacity

High-performance drainage systems

Foundation reinforcement of roads, railway tracks, runways

Geotextile Applications

Geotextiles and related products have many applications and currently support many civil engineering applications including roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, retaining structures, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection, coastal engineering, and construction site silt fences or geotube. Usually, geotextiles are placed at the tension surface to strengthen the soil. Geotextiles are also used for sand dune armoring to protect upland coastal property from storm surge, wave action, and flooding.

 

Use this chart to determine which type and weight of geotextile are best for your project.

Selection of appropriate geotextiles based on the type and weight of specific projects

Function Type of Geotextile Recommended Fabric Weight Recommended

 

Drainage

Nonwoven (Light or Medium Weight) 3.1 to 8 oz. Fabrics

Separation

Nonwoven (Heavy Weight) Nonwoven 8 oz. to 16 oz. Fabrics Woven Any Woven

Reinforcement

Nonwoven (Heavy Weight) Nonwoven 8 oz. to 16 oz. Fabrics Woven Any Woven

Cushion

Nonwoven (Light Weight) Nonwoven 3.1 oz. to 6 oz. Woven Any Woven

Filter

Nonwoven Any Nonwoven Woven Any Woven

Geotextiles usage chart

Usage Material Temporary erosion soil Coir Permanent erosion control Woven or non-woven Drainage Woven or non-woven Roadway separation Woven or non-woven Roadway stabilization Woven or Non-woven Geomembrane lines protection Non- woven Gas venting Non &#;woven Landfill Leachate collection Woven or Non-woven Landfill drainage system Non-woven Steepened slopes Woven Retaining walls Woven Embankments over soft soil Woven Lagoon closures Woven

IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF GEOTEXTILES

The characteristics of geotextiles are broadly classified as:

Physical properties:

specific gravity

weight

thickness

stiffness

density.

Mechanical properties:

tenacity

tensile strength

bursting strength

drapability

compatibility

flexibility

tearing strength

frictional resistance

Hydraulic properties:

porosity

permeability

permittivity

transitivity

turbidity /soil retention

filtration length etc.

Degradation properties:

biodegradation

hydrolytic degradation

photodegradation

chemical degradation

mechanical degradation

other degradation occurring due to the attack of rodent, termite etc.

Endurance properties:

elongation

abrasion resistance

clogging length and flow etc.

(For international standards refer ASTM.)

When using geotextiles, consider the following.

What has been the past performance of geotextiles in similar types of soil?

You will need to know solid characteristics and the permeability of the subgrade and match them to the permeability criteria of the geotextile.

Select the fabric strength requirements on the basis of constructability. More specifically, it must withstand placement and survive the construction period without puncturing, tearing, bursting, abrading, etc. Is the fabric sufficiently workable for the specific application? That is, can the geotextile support the workers and equipment during gravel placement.

Use standard load guidelines for designing pavement strength with no allowance for the geotextile.

In an existing roadway, check to see if additional subbase was added previously for extra structural support to counter the soil weakness and reduce rutting under construction equipment to three inches. If so, reduce that subbase by 39%-50% and include a geotextile in the design between the subgrade and subbase.

Select the cover carefully. If you will be applying for a surface course, you may use a cleaner aggregate with less than 15% fines. If this will be a gravel road and traffic will travel directly on the aggregate, then you must provide more fines (at least 15%) or the aggregate will whip off the fabric.

 

Are you interested in learning more about ecogeox geosynthetics in stock? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!