Geotextile is what? Geotextile description, characteristics, application and way of laying

The maintenance of a personal plot is often quite a costly measure, as it is constantly necessary to invest considerable funds in improving and beautifying the territory. In particular, a lot of money is "eaten up" by measures to drain the same yard. If you do not do this work, then your housing may be under threat, since the water from the roofs and the snow moisture very negatively affect the condition of the foundation and walls.

What can be used to carry out this kind of work? How can they be cheaper and make the results of their work more durable? To help you in a state of geotextile. This is a synthetic material made of polypropylene fibers, which can be used in conditions of close contact with the ground or other building materials.

Where to use?

Huge popularity for today this material uses in construction, as well as companies involved in the implementation of drainage works and laying roads. Such a wide distribution it acquired due to its high durability and unpretentiousness to operating conditions. As with other synthetic polymeric materials, the main distinguishing feature that it can boast of is the ultimate durability.

The main positive qualities

Geotextile is also a material known for its excellent resistance to aggressive chemicals. In addition, it perfectly tolerates even frost to -60 and heating up to +100 degrees Celsius.

Geotextile does not rot, it does not care about mold and fungus, which easily destroy a tree and even some types of bricks. The roots of plants, rodents and insects also can not do anything with it. It should also be noted its high mechanical strength and resistance to tearing. As a result, geotextiles are one of the most favorite materials of road builders, as it allows to achieve high durability of the canvas.

Another of its advantages is compactness and perfect undemanding to storage conditions. Sell it in the form of large rolls, which can be transported to the site of work, there, cutting into the required parts. Since the material practically does not absorb water, it does not need to be sheltered from the rain. Even if the roll is lying in a puddle, its weight will not change in any way.

Physical properties of geotextiles

All varieties of materials in this class have approximately the same physical characteristics:

• Elasticity: Geotextile is a material that is resistant to loads, easily performing a reinforcing function.
• When trying to break, the fibers can extend by 45%, which gives it a high puncture resistance and strength.
• Despite the excellent filtration ability, the fibers are not silted or clogged with the smallest particles of soil. The reason is their high smoothness, as a result of which garbage does not stick to them.
• Polypropylene has excellent resistance to UV radiation, and therefore the finished material easily withstands direct exposure to sunlight.

Thus, it can be used for site separation, reinforcement, filtration and drainage.

Main areas of use

As we have already said, in recent years it has been widely used in the laying of roads. Geotextiles allow the separation of layers of sand and gravel, resulting in an ideal load distribution on the roadway. This approach allows to significantly reduce the consumption of sand, increase the rate of laying of roads, as well as reduce costs for the purchase of crushed stone and concrete mix.

In addition, it is indispensable in creating embankments, strengthening slopes on unstable areas. Geotextiles, the characteristics of which we have described, are excellent for fixing soils that have a poor bearing capacity. Due to its high elasticity and cushioning ability, the received designs have excellent mechanical strength and durability. Because of this, the material can be used for laying tracks from tiles and even rubble. It protects the soil from subsidence and mixing with sand or gravel.

By the way, it is due to strength and elasticity that geotextiles are used to construct the roof in the form of an inner lining for bituminous covering.

Due to the fact that in recent years the population has become more demanding for the appearance of its sites, the material has become widespread in landscape design. It perfectly protects the soil from washing off the fertile layer, prevents the germination of weeds, but does not impede access to the roots of fertilizers. Geotextile is perfect for creating beaches on muddy banks of rivers and lakes.

Drainage systems

But the most important factor, thanks to which the material received such recognition of the owners of household plots, is its ideal fitness for creating draining systems. If they just lay a ditch for the drain of meltwater, it will not be silted, and therefore it will be much less necessary to clean it. Taking into account the polymeric origin of the material, it will last for more than one year.

Important! If you use geotextiles to create garden areas, it will perfectly protect plants from high groundwater, which otherwise will contribute to rotting of the roots.

Roofing

We have already said that this material can be used in roofing. If used in conjunction with waterproofing membranes, it helps protect roofing materials from rot and penetration of steam. It is at the expense of these same qualities that it is permissible to use it to protect cellar walls and cellars from penetration of soil water.

Regardless of the scope of use, geotextiles exhibit excellent consumer and performance characteristics.

Mounting method

How is geotextile laid? Here everything depends on the scope of its application. Consider the option with the tracks.

First, carefully prepare the surface of the soil. Removed hemp, plant roots and large stones. Then the roll of material is accurately rolled out, the joints are lapped, and their size should be at least 20-30 cm. It is very important to join the joints so that moisture or soil does not penetrate between them.

Typically, a burner is used for this, with which the layers of material are simply welded together. In the case of laying a garden path, you can use plastic or metal staples, with which the edges of the sheets are stitched securely. Then the material is covered with sand, it is compacted, and tiles are laid on top.

Stacking during the construction of drainage ditches

First, a ditch of the required depth is dug, and a sand-gravel cushion is laid on its bottom. Next - drainage pipes. With geotextiles it is better to wait: first a layer of coarse sand or small pebbles is placed on the pipe, and only then it is covered with this material. Top is poured over the soil and compacted slightly. With this method of laying, peat will not fall into the pebble, and the ditch will not become silted for a long time.

Pay attention: drainage geotextile is a rather strong material, but it should not be abused. So, on the surface that is prepared for the same tracks, there should not be nails or glass. If a part of the coating is perforated, then the quality of drainage will deteriorate sharply, the base of the path will be rapidly eroded by rains and meltwater.

Protection of the roof against moisture

In this respect, this material is not widely used in our country, but due to the development of individual construction, it has broad prospects. As in all the cases described above, geotextiles (the use of which we have repeatedly discussed) is laid on a flat and well-prepared surface.

On the planks of the roof there should be no large burrs and protruding nails, which can damage the material. Rolls roll out, joining the edges overlap. In this case, a burner is necessary, as only with its help can it be possible to ensure a reliable insulation of the roof from moisture, by welding the edges of the geotextile with each other. The size of the overlap is not less than 40 cm.

Finally

This material, of course, is a real find for almost all owners of personal household plots. It is durable and lightweight, does not rot and protects buildings from moisture.

All the cost of its purchase will pay off in the shortest possible time, as the same geotextile for drainage allows several times to increase the life of ditches for draining melt and rainwater. They are less likely to need a cleaning, and the roofs on which this material was laid can in general stand for several decades without serious repair.