Geosynthetics such as geotextiles, geogrids and others play a key role in the current construction providing unique opportunities to reinforce and protect soil structures and installations. The ability to reduce the aggregate layer thickness without compromising the structure strength and durability is an important economic benefit of their use, as it brings about a considerable saving of building materials and other resources.
Contents
Main aspects of economic effect
Main aspects of economic value
Decrease in aggregate thickness. Geosynthetics use allows considerable reduction of inert material layer thickness in construction structures, retaining the necessary strength and stability. This is achieved by improving of load distribution, soil base reinforcement and protection against deformation.
Geosynthetics use in road construction allows decrease in aggregate course thickness with its strength intact. This cuts the building material cost and simplifies the laying process thus reducing the overall project cost.
Geosynthetics use in road construction allows decrease in aggregate course thickness with its strength intact. This cuts the building material cost and simplifies the laying process thus reducing the overall project cost.
Saving examples:
- Road pavement operation. Decrease in aggregate thickness thanks to geosynthetics use lowers the frequency of repairs and improves resistance to deformation that cuts the cost of motorway service.
- Road pavement operation. Decrease in aggregate thickness thanks to geosynthetics use lowers the frequency of repairs and improves resistance to deformation that cuts the cost of motorway service.
Geosynthetics
Geospan GT PP and Geospan PET woven geomaterials have shown themselves well in terms of providing an economic value. Geospan GT PP is used in road pavement reinforcement, subgrade strengthening and layer separation. Geospan PET in its turn is used for building weak-based embankments, unusually-sloped embankments and in many other applications.
Geospan GCP geogrid use is another effective solution of soil reinforcement that allows extension of the road pavement service life and inter-repair intervals, as well as decrease in the cost of operation and construction time.
For waterproofing purposes, one can use Geospan GT PP M geomembrane, a geosynthetic material with membrane (M) properties consisting of two layers of laminated woven geotextile. Geospan GT PP M use allows protection of easily erodible soils from surplus water and decrease in the volume of work.
Conclusions
The economic value of geosynthetics use in road construction is considerable being evaluated in the range from 15% to 28% of the budgeted project cost. These values are based on analysis of operating federal and regional road projects. Geosynthetics use not only increases the road pavement performance, but also considerably reduces the overall cost of the road construction and further operation.
Moreover, longer inter-repair spans due to geosynthetics use contribute to cost cutting in terms of the road infrastructure maintenance and repair. This is particularly essential with the growing cost of aggregate and construction equipment that calls for effective resource management and cost minimization in terms of the road network service and refurbishment.
