Application of jute geotextiles as facilitator in drainage

For constructions on extremely soft foundation medium, the most common practice is to allow the soft soil to consolidate under the application of surcharge which generally consists of applying the necessary superimposed preload. However, because of low permeability of the in-situ soil, this often becomes a time consuming affair and also large quantities of material may have to be applied in the form of overburden. In some of the very fine grained soils encountered in practice, it may not be feasible to apply the surcharge without the danger of exceeding the bearing capacity of the existing formation soil. In such cases jute geotextiles may actually permit the construction to be carried out successfully and in a cost effective manner. A quantitative study on the efficacy of jute geotextile for consolidation purposes has been made and the outcome seems interesting. A design methodology involving selection and application of jute geotextile drains in weak foundation soil is suggested. Further, comparison of published standards with available properties of jute geotextile reveals that the fabric meets the criterion required for such purposes. Hence it may be judicious to explore the technically feasible, environmentally compatible and economically viable use of jute geotextile, as a suitable drainage medium for dealing with drainage problems encountered in the field. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.