Woven Geotextiles: The Ultimate Cover-up?



Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2009

by Mark Sierra

Erosion problems have been with us since man first learned how to grow things from the land he lived in. Fortunately, many solutions have been developed since that time. One such solution involves using woven geotextiles. Woven geotextiles are a permanent fabric to assist in the retention of soil in many different situations. Their purpose is to provide a porous foundation for separating particles of varying sizes. Another use is to allow moisture to penetrate the material, but restrict vegetation from starting.

Controlling erosion can sometimes involve using something called a "riprap", which is when non-porous objects are used to slow down the velocity of waterflow. Common objects are large stones or concrete slabs. This reduces the chance of damaging the land. When a riprap is constructed, there are usually different particle sizes of material used. To help keep them separated and in place, woven geotextiles can be placed between the different layers. This will help control the flow of water and reduce the chance of erosion of not only the surrounding soil, but the different parts and layers of the riprap.

Woven geotextiles are used in a lot of landscaping projects. They serve as permanent barriers against any unwanted vegetation from growing in places that they are undesired. These barriers are commonly placed three to six inches below the surface. Top soil is placed over them and the ordimental vegetation is then planted. The woven material allows not only water to flow through it, but also provides a protective barrier to help retain the moisture during extremely hot and dry conditions.

On construction sites, woven geotextiles are frequently used to cover the soil after it has been temporarily moved to another location. When placed over piles of soil, these coverings make it so the piles can withstand downpours from rain and not be turned into nuisance dust by the wind. These are temporary covers that are used until the soil is ready to be used again or put back to where it came from.

Some places use woven geotextiles as a filter to help separate out the fine particles from the larger materials. Occassionally, the material can become clogged and needs to be replaced and the fine materials are redistributed or disposed of.

Additional information can be found regarding how erosion control plants can be used to keep dust contained, especially in construction areas where dust is most prevalent. Check out the Dust Stop Zone for more Free information.


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