Coir geotextiles in roads – Soil has been used worldwide as a building material for buildings, roads, irrigation structures, etc. However, due to its low tensile and shear strength and brittleness, the soil needs to be improved according to the requirements of the specific project. Soil stabilization has been performed for centuries to enhance soil engineering properties. The initial stabilization method involves mixing the soil with materials that have higher strength or binding materials such as limestone, cement, calcium, or reinforcement with suitable elements/fibers.
Roads laid on BC soil bases create ripples on the road surface due to loss of substrate strength during monsoons. British Columbia’s soil is very clayey and presents a problem for road engineers. When dried, it shrinks and becomes too hard for the blocks to be easily crushed for processing in road construction. However, when wet during rain, it swells, loses strength, and poses a severe problem regarding subsequent road performance. All these results are street cracks, so road engineers do not favor road construction. In British Columbia soils, there is no choice because black cotton soils are available in about a third of the country. It is often impossible to build a stable base course over a soft substrate without losing the expensive foundation materials that penetrate the soft substrate soil. Therefore, the soil improvement method should be used.
Coconut Coir makes Strong Soil Pathway
Coconut geotextiles make up one of the largest groups of geosynthetic products. One of the most common applications of geotextiles is the construction of sidewalks and dams in soft soils. They are materials in the traditional sense, consisting mainly of manufactured fibers. However, natural fibers are also used in manufacturing.
\Coconut geotextiles are produced by crushing coconuts using a shredder to create small pieces of coconut. The coir is spun using a spinning device to make a coir rope. The diameter of the coir rope can be adjusted as needed. After the string is formed, the coir ropes are woven to resemble a net. The thickness of this net can be adjusted as needed.
The Use of Coir Geotextiles in Roads Pavement
The materials needed to make geotextiles from coir are cheap and easy to find. Engineers use coconut fiber geotextile as an overlay or interlayer for the road. It can protect the surface runoff water flow, dam reinforcement, filtration, and drainage.
Coconut coir geotextiles or coir nets are spread directly over the area to be used as roads. First, the ground is almost flat, and then a coconut net is applied. Coconut geotextiles are an alternative paving solution made from natural materials. The material is strong but can be degraded by soil action. It is safe for the soil ecosystem and can be compared to a mixture of lime, cement, etc.
Soil nutrient improvement uses coir geotextiles after they decompose. It becomes a nutrient and beneficial substance for plant growth. The method of application of coconut geotextiles has been successful in highly compressed areas and sloping soils. It is also used for road embankments and lands at risk of erosion and erosion.
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