Geotubes is a modern way of erosion control, shoreline protection and land recultivation. These large tubing structures are made of durable, strong, acid resistant woven geotextile. They are filled with sand or other materials at site, thus providing a stable barrier to waves and tides.
Contents
Production
Geotube production implies a process consisting of several stages. The first step is to choose a proper geotextile fabric to suit a certain geotube application. Polymeric fabrics made of polyester and polypropylene to special technology, allowing resistance of these fabrics to UV rays and chemical substances, are the main materials for geotube production.
The fabric is then cut to the right length and width followed by stitching along the edges to provide a tubular structure.
Application
Rolled geotubes are delivered to site. Then they are unrolled and filled with clayey sand through pipes. While being filled with the filler, a geotube starts expanding and taking a cylinder shape. Once the geotube is filled to the required size, excessive filler is removed, and the end parts are sealed. The filled geotube can then be transported to an installation point, if required.
Main applications of geotubes:
- Shoreline protection against wash-out and erosion (jetties, breakwaters and cut-waters, berthing facilities);
- Construction of a body of dams, embankments, hydraulic governing and protection facilities;
- Construction of wave protected water area (emergency protection of various facilities against torrential floods);
- In case of construction of inundated motorways and bridge abutments, geotubes can be used to build underwater embankments or dykes;
- Various sediment dewatering, loose material storage, applications in waste treatment facilities and production process support;
- Bottom deposit cleaning, silt sediment dewatering while clearing water basins and canals;
- Processing of communal and industrial sewage, scale removal;
- Dewatering of industrial and oil & gas drilling sludge;
- Manure storage facilities in agriculture;
- Disposal of washing-house sludge.
Quality control
Quality control in geotube production process means necessary checks and tests to secure the material compliance with the project requirements and quality standards. This includes checking of the material strength, geotube stability and water permeability, as well as readiness for installation.
During installation at site, geotubes should be checked for proper positioning to secure their stability and the project protection against flood and erosion. Regular maintenance and monitoring are required to ensure the soundness and effective performance of the geotubes.
Conclusions
Geotube application is an effective way of constructing high-quality and safe facilities for shoreline protection and erosion control. With development of technologies and materials, geotube production process improves and advances to achieve still better results in ecology protection and reduction of human activities negative impact on nature.
Geospan GT represents geotubes, made of strong fibers by state-of-the-art equipment, in Geospan range. Geotubes of up to 1.3 m diameter are manufactured to seamless technology while there is a possibility to make geotubes of up to 6 m diameter. Geotube length, quantity and branch pipe positioning vary.
