Technology is constantly being introduced into the different aspects of our life. The key aim of new technology is to ease our daily routines while increasing our work efficiency. Geogrids are a good example of modern technology designed to help solve some of our problems. The geosynthetic material is used as a reinforcing agent for soils and walls under construction. Geogrids are also used in the construction of subbases of roads and buildings. Geogrids are made from polymers like polypropylene and polyethylene that have a high tensile reinforcement ability. Their resistance to high tension makes it suitable for construction in places that experience high tension.
To best understand the different applications of Geogrids, you need to know how they function. Geogrids form a flexible mesh creating a reinforced coherent mass behind the retaining wall by stabilizing the soil. Geogrids form open grids that allow the soil to strike through interlocking to give a composite behavior.
Types of Geogrids
There are different determinants as to the type of Geogrids. The manufacturing process is one of the determinants producing;
1.Etruded Geogrids
2. Woven Geogrids
3. Bonded Geogrids
The second determinant in the direction of stretching during manufacturing. This provides Geogrids called;
Uniaxial Geogrids – these are formed by stretching the ribs in a longitudinal direction to provide the geosynthetic material with increased tensile strength in the vertical direction than the horizontal direction.
Biaxial Geogrids – these are formed by stretching the polymer sheets in both directions to provide an equal tensile strength in all directions.
Applications of Geogrids
1. Retaining walls with reinforced soil; to retain a wall, you need to hold back unstable wedges of soil. To successfully retain a wall to the required height is dependent on several onsite conditions. Soil quality, loading weight, and sloping of the wall affect the general integrity of the wall. To ensure a stable wall capable of withstanding force from an unstable soil wedge, a constructor needs to introduce geogrid-reinforced soil. This reinforced soil becomes part of the wall improving its stability and integrity.
2. Geogrids are used to reinforce track bed material during railroad construction to increase structural integrity and improve performance. Geogrids are laid at the bottom or mixed in with ballast to extend the maintenance cycle. Geogrids are also placed under rail lines to increase the integrity of the sub-ballast. This addition is aimed at improving the bearing ability of the soft subgrade.
3. Geogrids are used for both tarmacked and dirt roads. Geogrids are used to form a reinforced base capable of withstanding lateral strain brought by the weight of the soil. They are also used to provide tensile resistance from the force generated by loading wheels. They also form a tension surface between the subbases and the subgrade interface.
4. Geosynthetic material, geogrids, can be used to improve the structural integrity of buildings built on shallow foundations. For better results, biaxial geogrids are recommended to have a uniform tensile strength in both directions as they are able to provide more strength to the soil to assure you of the building’s stability and ability to withstand tension.
5. Geogrids are primarily used in the construction of pavement as a reinforcement tool. They are used to reduce the base course thickness while ensuring a quality high tensile strength pavement. In the construction of pavements, geogrids have three modes of applications; used to increase sub-grade stability, overall reinforcement of the base, and reinforcement of the asphalt concrete overlay.
6. Areas with perennial soil erosions can benefit from this technology. Geogrids can be designed to help reduce erosion by reinforcing the soil matrix. Geogrids absorb the kinetic force caused by running water and wind to increase the stability of surface soils. The grids can also be used to hold seeds and hydroseeding materials on slopes to allow successful germination in an attempt to control erosion.
Geogrids are the way to go in modern-day construction. With wide applications, the grids are set to increase the stability and integrity of future buildings.
