The use of HDPE geocells for drainage channel coating to replace reinforced concrete structures

Abstract

Typically water conduction channels are lined with reinforced concrete structures. Often, such alternatives consume high construction costs and percentages of total investments destined for water infrastructure and maintenance. In this context, the function of engineering is to seek alternatives that allow, in a responsible and safe manner, to replace typical reinforced concrete structures, focusing on technical and economic aspects. Thus, the use of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) geocells filled with concrete, to line channels, is intended to facilitate and accelerate the installation of this system, providing a good result, mainly due to its constructive simplicity. In addition, the technology in HDPE geocells is sufficiently stable to withstand the external forces generated on the fluid conduction structures, thus dispensing with the use of steel reinforcement, in addition to formwork, expansion joints, etc. Thus, some of the main analyzes used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of HDPE geocells filled with concrete for lining channels will be presented, as: resistance to extraction with cell confinement, shear stress, surface abrasion, stability due to under pressure and excessive deformations. Finally, the main benefits that these structures present in relation to conventional ones are listed, and a comparison addressing productivity, installation and costs, sustaining their success through executed cases, as well as successful cases applied to different requests in Latin America.