What Is The Difference of Geogrid vs Geofabric

Among geotechnical products, geogrid and geofabric are most commonly used in large-scale projects such as airport runways, railways, and highway reinforced foundations. Although they have some functional overlap in enhancing the stability of geological structures in engineering projects, geogrid and geofabric have clear differences in product structure, project application and installation methods. In this article, let us delve into the difference of geogrid vs geofabric.

1. What Is The Geogrid?

Geogrid is an open mesh material of integrally connected polymers. Geogrids are made from polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene. Geogrids are usually two- or three-dimensional structures. They come in different pore sizes and shapes. For reinforcement and stabilization of soil or hardscape; for example, reinforced retaining wall backfill. In most cases, geogrids are used in demanding agricultural or heavy-duty situations because they are stronger than most geofabrics. Due to low strains, geogrids are highly tensile, stretching only about 2 to 5 percent under load. Geogrids are produced in uniaxial (one-way) and biaxial (two-way) forms, each used for different applications.

2. What Is The Classification of Geogrid?

2.1 Uniaxial geogrid

Uniaxial geogrid, sometimes also called “one-way” or “one-directional” geogrids, is a unidirectional structure with one-way stretch, with the geogrid extending in only one direction (mainly longitudinal) Provide stability. Although they look very similar to biaxial geogrids, uniaxial geogrids are typically used where the soil only requires reinforcement in one direction. This type of geogrid is therefore a key component of load-bearing structures such as retaining walls or reinforced slopes.

2.2 Biaxial geogrid

Biaxial geogrids are sometimes called “two-way” or “two-way” geogrids. Biaxial geogrids are made of polymers through processes such as extrusion, sheet forming, punching, and stretching. of. Due to geogrid’s two-way grid design, it has high strength both longitudinally and transversely. Therefore geogrid has good carrying capacity. It strengthens soil structure and prevents soil erosion. This product is commonly used to prevent road reflections and fatigue cracking. It can effectively improve the long-term durability of the roadbed and greatly reduce road maintenance costs. Its typical uses are in road construction (including gravel driveways) and foundation improvement applications.

3. What Is The Geofabric?

A geofabric is a type of geotextile, which is a permeable textile material used to enhance soil stability, control erosion, and assist with drainage. Geofabrics are specifically engineered synthetic fabrics designed for geotechnical and environmental applications. These fabrics find extensive use in civil engineering and construction projects.

Geofabrics are commonly employed for soil stabilization, erosion control, drainage systems, and reinforcement purposes. They are typically made from synthetic materials like polypropylene or polyester. The fabrics are engineered to possess specific properties such as strength, durability, and permeability, which make them suitable for a wide range of geotechnical applications. Geofabrics can be either woven or non-woven, depending on the specific requirements of the project.

Geofabrics are specialized synthetic fabrics that serve as essential components in geotechnical and environmental projects, providing crucial functionalities such as soil stability, erosion control, and drainage assistance.

4. What Are The Classifications of Geofabric?

Geofabric is a permeable geomaterial product. It is made from synthetic or natural fibers (such as polypropylene or polyester) through a weaving or needle punching process, thus forming a flat fabric structure. Geofabric Because of its varying permeability and strength, geofabric, when combined with soil, has the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect or drain. geofabric is the most widely used geosynthetic material in agricultural applications.

4.1 Staple Fiber Needle Punched Geofabric

Needle-punched geofabrics are made of 100% polyester short fibers or 100% polypropylene short fibers, forming a random network with dimensional stability. Polyester staple fibers are designed to resist UV rays and be inert when exposed to soil chemicals. They are also chemically resistant to naturally occurring soil environments, and polypropylene nonwoven geofabrics are highly resistant to acidic environments (pH<3.5). Nonwoven geofabrics have high flow rates and excellent drainage properties. They can adapt to soil irregularities, are more resistant to puncture damage from stones or other objects embedded in the ground, and are often used to buffer geomembranes. The abrasion resistance of short fiber geofabrics is particularly beneficial when there is only gravel infill.

4.2 Filament Polyester Geofabric

Polyester filament geofabric is a polyester filament needle-punched nonwoven geofabric with no chemical additives and no need for heat treatment. Polyester filament nonwoven geofabric is produced through the molding and solidification method of polyester filament, and the fibers are arranged in a three-dimensional structure. It has good tensile strength, tear resistance, rupture resistance, puncture resistance, biochemical resistance, acid and alkali resistance, aging resistance, etc. It has a wide pore size range, tortuous pore size distribution, good permeability, and filtration performance. PET filament nonwoven geofabric is an ideal geotechnical material for road reinforcement, protection, drainage, isolation, filtering, shaping, etc. It improves the quality of the project, extends the life of the project, shortens the construction time, and reduces the project cost.

5. What Are The Differences of Geogrid vs Geofabric?

5.1 Different Structures

Geogrids are grid-like structures made of synthetic materials such as polyester or polypropylene or fiberglass. It consists of intersecting ribs or filaments forming a rigid or semi-rigid grid pattern. Geogrids can be two- or three-dimensional, with varying pore sizes and shapes. The one-way grid has an evenly distributed oval mesh structure. It has high tensile strength and tensile modulus. Geogrids provide an ideal interlocking system for soil. It has high unidirectional strength and durability, and has high lateral binding force on the soil-rock mixture. Its performance indicators are better than those of non-tension geogrid.

Geofabric is a fabric-like material made from synthetic or natural fibers such as polypropylene or polyester. It is usually made through a weaving or needle punching process to create a flat fabric structure. Geofabric can be woven or non-woven, with varying permeability and strength.

5.2 Different Functions

Uniaxial geogrids are used to help hold soil at almost any desired angle; from 0 to 90 degrees, for example. In addition, the stable two-way structure can ensure that the deformation of the two-way geogrid is small. It can also reinforce various materials such as gravel, stone, cement, concrete and asphalt and railway subgrade reinforcement. When we build permanent roads on relatively solid foundations, biaxial geogrids can enhance performance or reduce the thickness of the road structure. Geogrids change the way the base behaves under load. With their open lattice structure and high tensile modulus, they interact with the base materials and confine them, much like a rack in a game of pool confines the balls. Use biaxial geogrids to provide temporary pavement when weak subgrade conditions are encountered or to provide a stable foundation for permanent roads. Biaxial geogrids work much like snowshoes, distributing loads over a wider area.

Geofabric has lower tensile strength than geogrid, but has good puncture resistance and filtration properties. They are designed to allow water flow to pass through while retaining soil particles, preventing erosion and maintaining the integrity of the soil structure. Therefore, geofabric has excellent filtration, drainage, acid and alkali resistance, and plays an important role in preventing soil erosion and enhancing foundation stability.

5.3 Different Application Projects

Geogrid is commonly used in applications requiring soil reinforcement, load distribution and stability. They are used in projects such as retaining walls, road construction, embankments and slopes. Geogrid enhances the soil’s tensile strength, prevents soil movement, and improves overall stability. It is currently an ideal reinforcing material for reinforced retaining walls, reinforced steep slopes, bridge abutments, and reinforced soil structures such as highways, railways, and airports.

Geofabric is mainly used for erosion prevention, filtration, separation and drainage. They are used in soil conservation projects such as retaining walls, embankments, landfills and landscaping. Geofabric allows water to pass through while preventing the migration of fine particles, protecting the soil below and promoting proper drainage.

5.4 Different Installation Methods

Geogrid is typically installed by embedding it into a layer of soil or aggregate. They are often placed at specific depths or locations to provide reinforcement and effective load distribution. Geogrid requires secure connections to adjacent layers to ensure optimal performance.

Geofabric is installed by placing it between different layers of soil or as a barrier against erosion. They are often used with soil, aggregate or other geological materials to provide filtration, separation and stability. Geofabrics are usually fixed using mechanical means such as staples or pins.

6. Table of The Difference Between Geogrid vs Geofabric

7. Conclusion

This article provides a better understanding of the differences of geogrids vs  geofabrics through their definitions, their respective classifications, structures, functions, application projects and installation methods. We hope this article can help you understand geofabrics and geogrids better when choose the right geosynthetics. At BPM Geosynthetics, we supply high quality geogrid and geofabrics at great factory price.