Ancient cultures in South America constructed bridges that were made entirely of woven fabric. While this is not a material that many would think of as able to support much weight or last for any significant length of time, one of the bridges still exists and is in use today, hundreds of years after its construction. Engineers understand that the strength of a material is contingent on a number of factors that most people don\’t understand. Geotextile fabric is one of the materials that may surprise people with its usefulness.
It may seem odd to use fabric as a means of providing strength, but civil engineers have long understood the potential and practicality that is inherent in woven fibers. Found in three main variants including heat bonded, woven, or needle punched, these textiles are created depending on the level of strength they are made to provide.
The issue of reinforcement is important due to the fact that many projects are built upon soil which is notoriously difficult to work with due to its lack of structural integrity. Adding this textile as a layer to the overall base building helps to give structure to the soil itself.
Preventing erosion is important, but geotextiles can also filter and drain certain areas that are at risk for an accumulation of ground water. In landscape gardening, in addition to adding reinforcement to slopes, these fibers can be designed to erode over time and enrich the surrounding soil.
When creating gardens many landscape architects will add these fabrics to their overall design scheme, but use a type that biodegrades over time. This is done because as it degrades it releases nutrients into the surrounding area that strengthens the soil and makes it a better environment for plants to thrive.
There are a variety of ways that these materials are used to add reinforcement to a building project. Innovations in material building have created structures that can withstand a number of environmental and weather related issues.
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