'Geotextiles' are permeable
fabrics which, when used in association with
soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain. As the use of geotextile fabrics has expanded there has been the introduction of geotextile composites and the development of products such as geogrids and meshes. Overall these materials are referred to as
geosynthetics and each configuration—geonets, geogrids and others—can yield certain benefits in
geotechnical and
environmental engineering design. These products have a wide range of applications and are currently used to advantage in many
civil engineering applications including roads, airfields, railroads, embankments, retaining structures, reservoirs, canals, dams, bank protection and coastal engineering.
See also
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Hard landscape materials