Application of Jute Geotextile to Black Cotton Soil: A Railway Track Subgrade Improvement Technique

The sub-grade soil is an integral part of Well-built and maintained highways/rail way tracks.It provides the support to the pavement. The sub-grade soil and its properties are important in the design of pavement structure. In India Mainly in Maharashtra, M.P. and Andhra Pradesh Most State I highways have suffered severe problem associated with highly compressible clayey soil, particularly black cotton soil.

The present study indicates that the settlement and shear strength behaviour of black cotton soil is changed appreciably if reinforced with layers of woven/non-woven jute geotextile (JGT), non-woven geotextile and coarse sand drain placed at center in horizontal layer and in the form of vertical drain. 

 

 

A) Nonwoven Geotextile Fabric

B)Non Woven Jute Geotextile

Results show that compression index values decrease by about 8 per cent. 16.5 per cent and 25 per cent with non-woven JGT, woven JGT and non-woven geotextile respectively when compared with virgin black cotton soil. Further, it is seen that by addition of 10 mm dia vertical coarse sand drain in the center of 76.2 mm dia consolidation test, compression index values decrease by about 35.6 per cent, 36.5 per cent and 37.65 per cent with non-woven JGT, woven JGT and non-woven geotextile respectively in comparison with virgin black cotton soil.

 

 It is also observed that shear strength increases by about 13 per cent, 9 per cent, and 1.5 per cent with non-woven geotextile, woven JGT and vertical coarse sand drain respectively when compared with virgin black cotton soil.

Summary:

SI No.	Reinforcing Method	Reinforcement Type	Compression Index(%)	Shear Strength(%)
1	Reinforced with reinforcement and coarse sand drain placed at center in horizontal layer and in the form of vertical drain.	Non-woven JGT	8
		Woven JGT	16.5
		Non-woven Geotextile	25
2	Addition of 10 mm dia vertical coarse sand drain in the center of 76.2 mm dia with reinforcement	Non-woven JGT	35.6	13
		Woven JGT	36.5	9
		Non-woven Geotextile	37.65	1.5