Estudio de la utilización de geotextiles como filtro en presas de tierra homegeneas

Abstract

Geotextiles have been used over time as filter material. For this reason, a research was conducted to evaluate the use of geotextiles as filters in earth dams. Each of the characteristics and the uses of geotextiles were studied in detail, focusing on the use as filters to determine whether it is possible to apply them in the earth dams of PACALORI Project. Trials were performed on three types of geotextiles, subjecting to hydraulic gradients that were much higher than those that generally occur in earth dams. These trials resulted the great capacity of geotextiles to resist and filter under very high hydraulic gradients, similar to 1000, deciding that it is possible to use them as filter in this type of project. The results obtained from this research on three types of nonwoven geotextiles (NT-1400, NT 1600 and NT-1800) have allowed designing drains of the homogeneous earth dams of PACALORI Project, using geotextile NT -1800 as filter. It was due to their permeability, resistance to mechanical syphonage and the puncture that drainage materials can produce (crushed stone).