Why Use a Geomembrane?

Geomembranes  are thin, permeable fabrics that are used in a variety of civil engineering and construction applications. They are made of synthetic fibers such as polypropylene or polyester and are used to separate, filter, reinforce, protect or discharge soil or other materials.

Why Use a Geomembrane?

Essential for unpaved roads.

Peter G. Nicholson in Soil Improvement and Ground Improvement Methods states, "Geomembranes play an important role in providing working solutions for building or improving secondary unpaved roads, haul roads, access roads and roads in developing areas." 
Peter G. Nicholson explains that in most cases, geomembranes are placed between soft, fine-grained roadbed soils with stones or sand on top. He also highlighted how the geotextile's separation function prevents aggregates from mixing into the roadbed, thereby improving the long-term performance of the unpaved surface.

Separation of soil layers.

The most common and obvious benefit of using geomembrane is soil separation. Prior to the advent of geotextile technology, the main challenge faced by the construction industry was the mixing of soil layers during construction. For example, when building a road, gravel laid on the pavement would often sink into the soft subsurface material. With the development of geotextile technology, this problem was eliminated. When properly installed, geomembranes can reduce soil mixing and contamination.

Soil filtration.

Geomembranes are designed to solve a variety of geotechnical problems, including clogging of land drainage systems. Improving drainage of soil or other materials helps remove excess water, and when used for filtration purposes, geomembranes create a permeable layer that allows water to filter while preventing the passage of fines, silt and larger rocks. This is important in retaining wall systems, road construction and other applications where water management is a concern.

Improves soil stability.

Geotextile membranes can also be used for soil reinforcement and stabilization. Geomembranes provide strength to the soil they reinforce. These are commonly used in embankments, steep slopes and retaining walls. 
When constructing an embankment, a layer of fill material is first laid down, followed by a layer of geotextile membrane. This process is repeated until it is at the correct height. The geotextile layer prevents lateral movement of the fill layer and helps stabilize the embankment. This also allows for the formation of higher embankments.

Protection.

Geotextile membranes can be used to protect against erosion, chemical attack, UV radiation or other environmental factors that can damage soil or other materials. This is important in retaining wall systems, road construction and other applications where soil stability is a requirement.

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