CHARACTERIZATION, DURABILITY, AND APPLICATION OF TREATED COIR GEOTEXTILES IN LOW VOLUME ROADS

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of chemical treatment in characterizing the tensile strength, durability, and application of untreated/treated coir geotextile in low-volume roads. Two woven and two nonwoven coir geotextiles were used in this study. Sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate were the chemicals used to treat the coir geotextiles. The results show that the tensile strength of both the woven coir geotextiles treated with potassium permanganate was lower as compared to both the untreated woven coir geotextiles. The tensile strength of both the nonwoven coir geotextiles treated with sodium hydroxide was higher as compared to both the untreated nonwoven coir geotextiles. Further, the tensile strength of both the woven as well as nonwoven coir geotextiles treated with potassium permanganate was higher in comparison to the one treated with sodium hydroxide. The tensile strength of both the woven as well as nonwoven coir geotextiles first treated with sodium hydroxide followed by potassium permanganate was higher as compared to both the woven as well as nonwoven coir geotextiles treated with sodium hydroxide and potassium permanganate individually. The percentage reduction in tensile strength due to deterioration in the cross-machine direction for both the woven and nonwoven coir geotextiles was higher as compared to the direction of the machine. The results of monotonic load tests show that the models reinforced with untreated/treated woven and nonwoven coir geotextiles show an increase in the bearing pressure at greater deformation. Untreated woven/treated nonwoven coir geotextiles placed at the interface of the sand layer overlying silty sand can be useful in the low-volume roads.

Keywords

• woven coir geotextiles
• nonwoven coir geotextiles
• tensile strength
• chemical treatment
• durability
• low volume roads