Banana–plantain fiber limited life geotextiles (PFLLGs): design and characterization
- Vol.53(4), Aug
- USA Springer 2023
- 874-886p.
The present study aims to assess the use of empty banana–plantain fruit bunches as geotextile materials for erosion control and soil reinforcement. This study examined the physical and mechanical properties of a woven geotextile made from natural fibers of banana–plantain empty fruit bunch (PFLLGs) at the soil interface. The influence of moisture, the direction of the applied load, and the load transfer capacity at the fiber joints of this geotextile were evaluated. The results show that the PFLLGs have a mass per unit area of 932 g/m2, a dry drapability of 5744 mg.cm, a nominal thickness of 4.51 mm and a water absorption rate in 24 h of 189.35%. The average tensile strength in the dry state was higher than in the wet state. The average elongation was about 50% higher in the wet state than in the dry state, while moisture did not influence the tenacity of the studied geotextile. In addition, the load transfer efficiency was higher for overlap seamed samples than for butt seamed samples or polyester resin-bonded samples. The resulting shear strength parameters of the geotextile on a silty soil are 23.4° and 16.9 kPa, for the angle of friction and adhesion, respectively. Furthermore, the efficiency of frictional and cohesive reinforcement on a silty-type substrate was 73.17% and 21.31%, respectively.