What Is Geotextile Fabric? Uses, Benefits & Material Types Explained

You might not see it, but geotextile fabrics are all around you: 

• Behind retaining walls 
• Beneath the road surface
• On steep slopes

But what exactly is a geotextile fabric?

And why do we use it? 

Geotextile fabrics are basically super-strong artificial fabrics made of materials like polyester. 

They help us overcome complex challenges of contemporary civil engineering, like reinforcing slopes, efficient drainage, and protecting the integrity of soil structures.

In this blog, I will tell you everything you need to know about geotextile fabrics. 

Let’s dive in!

What is Geotextile Fabric: Table of Contents

• What is Geotextile Fabric?
• Geotextile Fabric Material Types Explained
• What are the Uses of Geotextile Fabrics?
• The Benefits of Using Geotextile Fabrics
• Where to Buy Geotextile Fabric?
• What is Geotextile Fabric: FAQs
  
  

What is Geotextile Fabric?

Geotextile fabric is a permeable textile material that we produce using artificial synthetic materials like polypropylene or polyester for very specific purposes.

It is basically a very strong layer of artificial cloth that can perform a lot of functions:

• Filtration
• Separation
• Reinforcement
• Drainage

What makes it a geotextile are highly specific qualities it possesses, including:

• Durability
• Permeability
• Engineered synthetic composition

All these chemical and physical properties ensure that geotextile fabrics can withstand: 

• Long-term burial in rock surfaces.
• Chemical exposure in industrial establishments.
• Pressure from heavy loads on roads.

But how exactly can geotextiles help you with your engineering project? Let us find out by exploring the types of geotextile fabrics you can use!

Also Read: What Are Geosynthetics?

Geotextile Fabric Material Types Explained

There are three major and two specialty geotextile fabric material types that you need to know about. Let me walk you through all of them. 

1. Woven Geotextiles

Geotextile fabrics are woven from interlacing two strands of synthetic yarn. 

They are also the most common type of geotextiles. 

And like the most common types of textiles, woven geotextiles are made on a traditional loom!

They are created to offer three qualities:

• High Tensile Strength
• Low Elongation
• Even Load Distribution

However, woven geotextiles do not offer the same permeability as non-woven geotextiles.

So, they are usually used for reinforcement or separation.

In my experience, most clients use it for stabilising soft soil subgrades for applications like:

• Roads
• Parking Lots
• Driveways
• Embankments

So, if you need a reinforcement-heavy geotextile fabric, woven geotextile fabrics will get the job done.

2. Non-Woven Geotextiles (Needle-Punched)

A non-woven geotextile fabric is made from continuous filaments or stable fibres.

These are arranged at random and then mechanically entangled (punched with a needle) or bonded with heat!

Its physical properties give it very distinct qualities compared to woven geotextiles:

• High Permeability
• Planar Water Flow
• Resistance to Puncturing

It also offers much better elongation than woven geotextile fabric, but much lower tensile strength.

As a result of this combination of properties and qualities, non-woven geotextile fabrics are used mainly for:

• French Drains
• Landfill Leachate Systems
• Erosion Control
• Reinforcing Retaining Walls

Non-woven geotextiles are thus perfect for filtration, drainage, or protection applications.

3. Knitted Geotextiles

Next, we have knitted geotextiles that are made by interlooping synthetic yarns with knitting needles.

I know what you are thinking: this sounds just like knitting a sweater or any other piece of cloth – and it is!

Knitted geotextiles are a highly flexible and deformable type of synthetic fabric with properties like: 

• Multi-directional Strength
• High Flexibility
• Excellent Conformability for Uneven Surfaces

These qualities make knitted geotextile fabrics ideal for reinforcement applications like:

• Coast Protection
• Reinforcing Steep Slopes
• Stabilizing Soil Substrates

Basically, in any scenario where you need to reinforce a surface that might change in shape or structure, a knitted geotextile is the fabric you need!

4. Coated or Composite Geotextiles

Next, let us take a quick look at a minor geotextile fabric type: composite geotextile. 

It is made by combining two types of geotextiles: 

• A base geotextile, such as a non-woven geotextile.
• Laminated or coated with another geotextile, like a geomembrane.

As a result of this, we get a type of geotextile that has properties like: 

• Filtration + Permeability
• Strength + Sealing

In my experience, clients have usually created composite geotextiles for: 

• Lining Pond or Landfills
• Advanced Drainage Systems
• Erosion Control Mats that Support Vegetation

You can thus create customized composite geotextiles with highly specific properties for your use case or application!

5. Stitched-Bonded or Heat-Bonded Non-Wovens

Lastly, we have stitch or heat-bonded non-woven geotextiles. 

Instead of being punched through with a needle, fibers are: 

• Arranged into a web and bonded mechanically (stitching).
• Fused together under heat (thermal bonding).

This gives us geotextile fabrics with very unique properties: 

• Thinner, Smoother, Less Bulky Geotextiles.
• Support for Surface Contact. 
• Lower Strength and Puncture Resistance.

So, you can use them for applications like:

• Asphalt Overlay
• Underlay for Turfs
• Subsurface Drainage

In any application where you need a very thin separation layer, stitch- or heat-bonded non-wovens can offer excellent compatibility and functionality!

What are the Uses of Geotextile Fabrics?

Next, let us briefly go through the main applications of geotextile fabrics: 

1. Separation

This is the most common application of geotextile fabrics. 

We use them to prevent different layers of a soil structure from mixing with each other.

For instance, it is used to ensure that the layer of fine soil never comes into contact with coarser or rougher aggregates, or vice versa.

This way, they help us maintain both structural integrity and drainage.

An example of this application is the use of geotextile fabric in driveways. It ensures that the layer of gravel is separated from the substrate!

2. Filtration

Geotextile fabrics are also used for filtration:

• We place a layer of geotextile fabric (with high permeability) exactly where water crosses from the soil into a drain.
• The water flows, while the soil remains trapped behind the geosynthetic layer.

This is why French drains use geotextile fabrics to achieve efficient drainage and optimal water flow.

3. Drainage

We can also use geotextile fabrics to channel water within a specific plane.

This can be done by using it on a slope or as a capillary break. It works for two reasons:

• It relieves hydrostatic pressure. 
• Prevents water accumulation.

You will most likely see geotextiles performing this function behind landscape retaining walls or in a vertical chimney within an embankment. 

4. Reinforcement 

One of the most important functions of geotextiles is reinforcement.

It adds both strength to substrates and helps distribute loads evenly across a surface.

In other words, it turns a structure of sand into a stable and composite mass. This allows the sand to support steeper slopes and heavier loads!

In turn, this means we can use geotextiles to reinforce steep embankments and modular block walls!

5. Protection

We also very often use geotextile fabrics as a cushioning layer over a vulnerable surface. 

For instance, it is used in pond and landfill liners with geomembranes. This protects it from being punctured by sharp aggregates or other objects. 

As a result of this, we can create liners and protective coverings with long-term integrity.

6. Erosion Control

Lastly, we can also simply cover soil surfaces to shield them from the direct impact of rain or waves.

Here, geotextile fabrics:

• Holds existing soil in place.
• Allows vegetation to grow on top. 
• Prevents surface washaway. 
  
  

The Benefits of Using Geotextile Fabrics vs. Alternatives

In this section, I have compared geotextiles with their alternatives to show you the benefits you can get from using them: 

Where to Buy Geotextile Fabric in India?

In the 21st century, whether you’re making a road or constructing a building, you cannot do it without geotextiles.

And if you need a material for drainage, filtration, or reinforcement?

Geotextiles are clearly the superior choice!

Now, the only question is: where to buy geotextiles in India?

That’s where we come in!

For nearly 2 decades, we at the Indonet Group have delivered high-quality geotextile fabrics to clients spread across a wide range of industries.

And we can do the same for you!

Our team will understand your requirements and send you a sample to see if our products align with your requirements!

What is Geotextile Fabric: FAQs

1. Can I use the same geotextile fabric for a French drain and to reinforce a driveway?

No!

• For lining a French drain, I suggest using a non-woven geotextile fabric. It will give you better filtration. 
• A woven geotextile is a better fit for driveways since it offers better separation and reinforcement.
  
  

2. How to choose between woven vs non-woven geotextile fabric materials?

My recommendation: 

• Choose woven geotextile fabric if you need to reinforce a surface that will bear heavy loads (e.g., driveways). 
• Go for the non-woven variant if you need a solution for drainage and filtration (for instance, in French drains). 
  
  

3. Is geotextile fabric necessary for a residential driveway?

Absolutely! Using it will help you: 

• Prevent gravel from sinking into the subsoil.
• Reduce rutting + pothole formation.
• Extend the driveway’s lifespan.