Page 44 - CO October 2021

inDUStrY FocUS GEOSYNTHETICS

Geosynthetics –

Magic Potion?

As per the reports The geosynthetic materials in the market analysis indicates that for heavy volume
published by Fortune today meet the needs of professionals across roads, long lasting pavements are likely to be
Business Insights, the global many vital industries. They are purpose- more cost effective over their service lives by
inserting geosynthetics in pavement courses.
built for performance without impacting
geosynthetics market the environment in a negative way. Their Despite being specialty-made, the
size is set to gain traction exceptional qualities of flexibility and ease geosynthetic materials come in at a much
from the increasing usage of custom-fitting bring added value to older lower price point than moving dirt and
of sustainable building options such as earthworks and concrete, building complex concrete and metal
materials. Geosystems which they work in tandem with and structures. They are also much faster to deploy
reduce the usage of complement, more often than not. and resist degradation exceedingly better
natural materials, such In a whitepaper by Maccaferri India, ‘use than soil or even concrete, which is subject
of geosynthetics in road works – innovative
to cracking from shifts in the land over time.
as aggregates and technology for improved performance’, in
sand, thereby simplifying the past few decades, geosynthetics have Innovative horizons
construction activities. As succeeded as an effective tool in the hands According to IntecOpen Research, high-
construction sector moves of the civil engineer that have proved to performance hybrid polymer materials are
towards green pastures, solve a myriad of geotechnical problems being used as convergence geosynthetic
the need & importance of in pavements, from rural roads to highways products are required to protect, repair,
and airports and container yards reducing
and repair the ground structure from natural
geosynthetics is only set to layer thicknesses, managing settlements and disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and
grow in times to come and soils which was not developed due to the typhoons. These convergence geosynthetic
with innovative offerings on high costing of reclamations. Geosynthetic products play a pivotal role in improving
the horizon, geosynthetics systems are contributing to sustainable the stability of geotechnical structures and
will play a major role initiatives for pavement courses and these expanding their applications. Carbon fibers,
as magic materials in are having lower impact on environment aramid fibers, and liquid crystal polymer
fibers are being used as new materials. In
over their entire service lives in terms of
construction activities, use of materials, energy consumption and addition, test methods and construction
writes PRERNA SHARMA. greenhouse gas emissions. Life cycle cost techniques related to these new materials

44 COnSTRuCTIOn OPPORTunITIES|OCTObEr 2021