Publication

Abstract : Ground improvement deals with the modification of the soil in existing foundation to give better performance after construction and to handle operational loading stresses during construction. Increased stability, bearing capacity and decrease in the settlement of foundation are the major outcomes of reinforcing the soil with fibres. Several advancements are made in the geotextiles in the form of providing three-dimensional cellular reinforcement. The increasing cost of geosynthetics and the growing problem toward sustainability led researchers to recognition on natural products as a possibility to synthetic ones. Natural fibres like sisal, jute, coir, banana, palm, water hyacinth, rice husk, bamboo, hemp, and many other fibres have certain properties within them, which satisfies the condition to be used as geotextile. These geotextiles are widely used for improving the performance and durability of highways with reduced construction cost. Geotextiles have a wide range of applications including soil stabilization, erosion control, drainage systems, and reinforcement of asphalt and concrete. It is also used in the prevention of soil erosion on the riverbanks by enhancing the grass vegetation as the natural fibres have 500 % water holding capacity on dry soil. The properties of natural geotextiles are deteriorated over a period due to biodegradation. The performance and durability of these natural geotextiles are improved using several treatments. In this paper a detailed review of various physio-chemical and mechanical properties of natural geotextiles and their treatment to improve durability are discussed.