SOIL REINFORCEMENT USING PARAWEB

SEMINAR REPORT

submitted by

ROWBINA

***********

to

The APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree

of

Master of Technology

In

Construction Engineering and Management

COCHIN COLLEGE
OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Civil Engineering

Cochin College of Engineering and Technology

Valanchery

SEPTEMBER 2019
 DECLARATION

I undersigned hereby declare that the seminar report “SOIL REINFORCEMENT USING
PARAWEB”, submitted for partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree of
Master of Technology of the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Kerala is a
bonafide work done by me under supervision of Ms. Reshmi V. B. This submission
represents my ideas in my own words and where ideas or words of others have been
included; I have adequately and accurately cited and referenced the original sources. I also
declare that I have adhered to ethics of academic honesty and integrity and have not
misrepresented or fabricated any data or idea or fact or source in my submission. I
understand that any violation of the above will be a cause for disciplinary action by the
institute and/or the University and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have
thus not been properly cited or from whom proper permission has not been obtained. This
report has not been previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma or
similar title of any other University.

Place: Valanchery ROWBINA

Date: 25/09/2019
 DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
COCHIN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
VALANCHERY

Cochin College
Of Engineering and Technology

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the report entitled “ SOIL REINFORCEMENT

USING PARAWEB” submitted by ROWBINA to the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological

University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of
Technology in Construction Engineering and Management is a bonafide record of the seminar
carried out by her under our guidance and supervision. This report in any form has not been
submitted to any other University or Institute for any purpose.

Internal Supervisor(s) External Supervisor(s)

(if any)

PG Coordinator HEAD OF THE DEPT

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I thank GOD, the Generous, for having made this humble effort a
reality.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everybody who helped me directly and
indirectly for the successful completion of my seminar. I am extremely thankful to our
Principal in charge Mr. Sakariyya T, for forecasting an excellent academic climate in the
college and giving me his consent for this seminar. I express my thanks to our Head of the
Department Asst. Prof. Mr. Midhun B, Department of Civil Engineering for his valuable
suggestions and support.
I wish to thank Asst. Prof. Mr. Fasil P., PG co-ordinater of Department of Civil
Engineering, for his advice and help.
I am indebted to my guide Asst. Prof. Ms. Reshmi V. B., Dept. of Civil Engineering
for her timely guidance and support throughout this work.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friends who spent their valuable time
and shared their knowledge for helping me to complete the thesis with the best possible
result.
Finally, I thank my parents for their inspiration and ever encouraging moral support,
enabled me to pursue my studies.

ROWBINA

i
 ABSTRACT

Reinforced soil is a composite construction material formed by combining soil and

reinforcement. This material possesses high compressive and tensile strength similar, in
principle, to the reinforcement cement concrete. It can be obtained by either incorporating
continuous reinforcement inclusions (for example: strip, bar, sheet, mat or net) within a soil
mass in a definite pattern or mixing discrete fibers randomly with a soil fill before placement.
The term ‘Reinforced Soil’ generally refers to the former one, although it may more be
appropriately called ‘Systematically Reinforced Soil’, whereas latter one is called ‘Randomly
Distributed \ Oriented Fiber-Reinforced Soil’ or simply ‘Fiber Reinforced Soil’. Geosynthetics
are widely used as structural reinforcement in steep slopes, retaining walls, embankments over
soft ground and road base reinforcement. The application of geosynthetics in civil engineering
has been more than 40 years. The application of reinforced soil structures has a history of some
5,000 years as found in a 79 m high structure in Mesopotamia built of soil reinforced by reeds
placed in horizontal layers. PARAWEB consists of discrete bundles of closely packed high
strength synthetic fibers, lying parallel to each other, encased in a tough and durable polymeric
sheath. This parallel fiber structure and tough polymeric sheath ensures a combination of
outstanding properties. PARAWEB is the original high strength synthetic webbing developed
in the early 1970’s. PARAWEB has been used for many years in vertical MSE wall
reinforcement as an ideal synthetic alternative to steel strips, due to its chemical stability and
its low creep characteristics. The strips are suitable for reinforcement applications in
combination with concrete wall facing panels. They are amongst the most tried and tested
geostrips in the world offering 120-year design life and high performance. The incredibly
tough polyethylene sheath is resistance to physical, chemical and biological conditions found in
reinforced soil structures.

Key Words: Soil reinforcement, PARAWEB, MSE Wall, Geosynthetics

ii
 CONTENTS

SI. No.: TITLES Page No.:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i

ABSTRACT ii

LIST OF FIGURES v

LIST OF TABLE vi

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. CONCEPT
INTRODUCTION
OF SOIL REINFORCEMENT 22
1

3. MECHANICS OF REINFORCED SOIL 2

4. HISTORY OF SOIL REINFORCEMENT 2

5. BENEFITS OF REINFORCED SOIL 3

6. PARAWEB 3

6.1 Features of PARAWEB 5

6.2 Similar Products 6

7. PROPERTIES 6

7.1 Physical Properties 6

7.2 Mechanical Properties 7

7.3 Hydraulic Properties 8

8. INSTALLATION PROCEDURE 9

9. PRACTICABILITY OF INSTALLATION 10

10. ANCILLARY ITEMS USED DURING INSTALLATION 11

11. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS 13

12. A CASE STUDY ON PARAWEB 13

iii
13. EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 17

13.1 Weathering (including exposure to UV rays) 17

13.2 Chemical and biological degradation 17

14. AN EVALUATION ON PARAWEB’S UTILITY 18

14.1 Advantages 19

14.2 Disadvantages 20

15. DELIVERY AND SITE HANDLING 20

16. CONCLUSIONS 21

REFERENCES 22

iv
 LIST OF FIGURES
No.: Title Page No:

1. PARAWEB sheet 4
2. Composition of PARAWEB 5
3. PARAWEB straps used for soil reinforcement 5
4. Load – Strain curves for geotextiles 8
5. Typical diagrammatic sectional view 10
6. Steel ‘S’ clamp 11
7. Anchorage Bars 12
8. Typical diagrammatic plan view 12
9. VSol wall 14
10. Muscat Southern Expressway 15
11. Retaining wall concrete slab 16
12. PARAWEB straps connected with bolt 16
13. Constructing retaining wall at site 17

v
 LIST OF TABLES
No.: Title Page No.:

1. Dimension of different grades of PARAWEB sheets 5

2. Typical properties of polymers used for manufacture
of geosynthetics 7
3. Reduction factors for Chemical/Environmental effects 18

vi
1. INTRODUCTION:
Reinforced soil is a soil which is reinforced with artificial materials, like sheets or
strips of galvanized steel or geotextiles, in desired directions so that it acquires many
novel characteristics, which renders it eminently suitable for construction of
geotechnical structures. The concept of soil reinforcement was introduced in 1966 by
Henry Vidal, a French architect and engineer. Since then, it has been widely used in
civil engineering practices. The principle of reinforced soil is analogous to that of
reinforced cement concrete.

In the early stages of its development, steel and iron in form of nails, mats, grids or
strips were used. Owing to its many practical difficulties, the applicability of the
principle was largely reduced. Four decades ago, the engineering field saw an influx of
geosynthetics into its foray. The utilization of geosynthetics offers excellent technical,
economic, environment-friendly and energy-efficient alternatives to the conventional
solutions for many civil engineering problems. Hence, it is now a well-accepted
reinforcing material in soil. In addition to providing reinforcement, a geosynthetic
reinforcement also performs the functions of separation, filtration, drainage and fluid
barrier.

Paraweb is one such geotextile which has recently found acceptance as an effective tool
for reinforcing soil between bridge abutments walls. It was developed by a Yorkshire
based firm named Linear Composites Ltd in 1970s. Due to ease of construction,
excellent properties and relative economy, this product is fast gaining popularity all
across the globe.

2. CONCEPT OF SOIL REINFORCEMENT:

Reinforced soil is a composite material formed by the association of frictional soil
and tension resistant elements in the form of sheets, strips, nets or mats of metal,
synthetic fabrics or fiber reinforced plastics and arranged in the soil mass in such a way
to reduce or suppress the tensile strain which might develop under gravity and boundary
forces.

vii
The improvement to the total system energy is achieved by the following three
mechanisms:

a) Lateral restraint due to inter-facial friction between the soil aggregates and
reinforcing material
b) Forcing the potential failure plane to develop at an alternative higher shear
strength surface
c) Offering a membrane type of support to the wheel loads

The concept is very similar to that of reinforcing concrete with steel. Since concrete is
weak in tension, steel is used to reinforce it. Similarly, the reinforcements provide a
tensile strength to the soil that helps to hold the soil in place.

To be effective, the reinforcements must intersect potential failure surfaces in the soil
mass. Strains in the soil mass generate strains in the reinforcements, which in turn,
generate tensile loads in the reinforcements. These tensile loads act to restrict soil
movements and thus impart additional shear strength. This results in the composite
soil/reinforcement system having significantly greater shear strength than the soil mass
alone.

3. MECHANICS OF REINFORCED SOIL:

Reinforced soil is the technique where tensile elements are placed in the soil to
improve stability and control deformation. To be effective, the reinforcements must
intersect potential failure surfaces in the soil mass. Strains in the soil mass generates
strains in the reinforcements, which in turn, generate tensile loads in the
reinforcements. These tensile loads act to restrict soil movements and thus impart
additional shear strength. This results in the composite soil/reinforcement system
having significantly greater shear strength than the soil mass alone.

4. HISTORY OF SOIL REINFORCEMENT:

Inclusions have been used since prehistoric times to improve soil. The use of straw to
improve the quality of adobe bricks dates back to earliest human history. Many
primitive people used sticks and branches to reinforce mud dwellings. During the 17th
viii
and 18th centuries, French settlers along the Bay of Fundy in Canada used sticks to
reinforce mud dikes. Other examples include wooden pegs used for erosion and
landslide control in England, and bamboo or wire mesh, used universally for revetment
erosion control. Soil reinforcing can also be achieved by using plant roots.

The modern methods of soil reinforcement for retaining wall construction were
pioneered by the French architect and engineer Henri Vidal in the early 1960s. His
research led to the invention and development of Reinforced Earth, a system in which
steel strip reinforcement is used. The first wall to use this technology in the United
States was built in 1972 on California State Highway 39, northeast of Los Angeles.

The use of geotextile started after beneficial effects of reinforcement with geotextiles
was noticed in highway embankments over weak sub grades. The first geotextile
reinforced wall was constructed in France in 1971, and the first structure of this type in
the United States was constructed in 1974. Since about 1980, the use of geotextiles in
reinforced soil has increased significantly.

Geogrids for soil reinforcement were developed around 1980. Polyethylene,

polypropylene, Polyester and Fiber glass were used to make geogrids. The first use of
geogrid in earth reinforcement was in 1981. Extensive use of geogrid products in the
United States started in about 1983, and they now comprise a growing portion of the
market. The introduction and economy of geosynthetic reinforcements has made the
use of steepened slopes economically attractive.

5. BENEFITS OF REINFORCED SOIL:

Reinforced soil is a very cost effective technique compared to other construction

techniques. The major benefits of reinforced soil are:

 The inclusion of reinforcement in soil improves the shear resistance of soil

there by improving its structural capability.

 The inclusion of reinforcement enables the use of poor quality soils to be used
as structural components.

 Land acquisition can be kept to a minimum because reinforced structures can

ix
 be made steeper than would otherwise be possible.

 Construction time can be reduced when reinforced soil techniques are used.

6. PARAWEB:

Paraweb consists of discrete bundles of closely packed high strength synthetic fibres,
lying parallel to each other, encased in a tough and durable polymeric sheath. It was
developed by Linear Composites Ltd in 1971. This company was acquired by
Maccaferi Group in 2006 and hence it is marketed under its brand name.

Paraweb straps comprise of tendons of high tenacity polyester fibres which are encased
in a polyethylene sheath using vacuum die-coating process. The composite is then
passed through rollers to give a knurled finish on the sheath, cooled, cut to length and
coiled.

The straps can be manufactured in a number of grades and thicknesses. The textile type
and content determines the physical characteristics of the product in terms of tensile
strength, extension and modulus of elasticity. The polymeric sheath provides a physical
and chemical barrier to external environments which pose a threat to product
performance and durability. Core and sheath materials are chosen to suit specific
customer requirements.

Figure 1. Paraweb Sheet

Source ( http://www.linearcomposites.net/?pageid=Paraweb.xml )

x
 Figure 2: Composition of Paraweb
Source ( http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/CertificateFiles/H1/H191ps1i1.pdf)

Figure 3. Paraweb straps used for soil reinforcement

Source (http://www.linearcomposites.net/media/paraweb_case_study_01.pdf )

xi
 Table 1. Dimensions of Different Grades of Paraweb Sheets
Source ( http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/CertificateFiles/H1/H191ps1i1.pdf )

Grade Coil Nominal Nominal Nominal

Length Weigh width thickness
(m) (kg) (mm) (mm)

Sheath type Sheath type Sheath type

2E 2D 2S 2E 2D 2S 2E 2D 2S
30 100 8.7 12.7 14.8 83 83 85 1.5 1.9 2.2
40 100 10.9 16.7 18.5 83 84 85 1.7 2.2 2.5
50 100 12.4 19.5 23.0 87 90 90 2.0 2.5 3.5
70 100 16.7 24.1 28.6 90 90 90 2.5 3.0 4.0
75 100 17.9 25.6 30.0 90 90 90 2.6 3.1 4.1
100 100 24.1 31.1 37.7 90 90 90 3.1 3.7 6.0
ME MD MS ME MD MS ME MD MS
27 100 6.4 8.5 9.4 46 47 48 1.8 2.2 2.5
36 100 8.1 10.8 12.0 47 49 49 2.2 2.8 3.0
37.5 100 8.2 10.9 12.1 47 49 49 2.3 2.9 3.1
45 100 10.1 13.2 14.5 48 48 49 2.7 3.3 3.6
54 100 12.7 17.4 21.4 63 65 65 2.5 3.2 3.6
63 100 14.4 20.4 22.7 63 65 66 2.8 3.7 3.9

6.1Features of Paraweb

Different types of Paraweb can be manufactured according to the requirement of of

the client to suit specific engineering problems. Some of its characteristic features
are listed below.

a) Adequate tensile strength

b) High adherence to soil
c) Tough, durable polyethylene sheath
d) Limited elongation under load
e) Easy to install
f) Highly resistant to chemicals, micro-organisms, UV radiation and
mechanical damage

6.2 Similar products:

The other Para products include:
 ParaDrain:
It is a strip bonded draining geogrids with high tenacity polyester, combining
reinforcement and drainage functions in one product core.

xii
  ParaGrid:
These geogrids are unique planar structures consisting of a biaxial array of composite
geosynthetic strips.

7. PROPERTIES:
Geosynthetics, being polymer based products, are viscoelastic, which means that,
under working conditions, their performance is dependent on the ambient
temperature, the level of stress, the duration of the applied stress, the rate at which
the stress is applied, etc.
7.1 Physical Properties:
The physical properties of geosynthetics that are of prime interest are specific
gravity, mass per unit area, thickness and stiffness. The physical properties are
more dependent on temperature and humidity than those of soils and rocks. It is
to be noted that the specific gravity of some of the polymers is less than 1.0,
which is a drawback when working with geosynthetics underwater, that is, some
of them may float. Table 2 provides the specific gravity of polymeric materials
with their other properties.

Table 2: Typical properties of polymers used for the manufacture of

geosynthetics
(Shukla and Yin, 2006)

The thickness is measured as the distance between the upper and the lower
surfaces of the material at a specified normal pressure (generally 2.0 kPa). The
xiii
thickness of commonly used geosynthetics ranges from 10 to 300 mils. Most
geomembranes used today are 20 mils (0.50 mm).
7.2 Mechanical Properties:
Mechanical properties are important in those applications where a geosynthetic is
required to perform a structural role, or where it is required to survive installation
damage and localized stresses.
Compressibility of a geosynthetic is measured by the decrease in its thickness at
varying applied normal pressures.
The tensile modulus is the slope of the geosynthetic stress – strain or load – strain
curve, as determined from wide width tensile test procedures. This is equivalent
to the Young’s modulus for other construction materials, i.e. concrete, steel,
timber, structural plastic, etc. it depicts the deformation required to develop a
given stress (load) in the material. Fig. 8 shows typical load – strain curves for
geotextiles and interpretation methods of tensile modulus.

Fig. 8.: Load – Strain curves for geotextiles exhibiting: (a) linear
behavior; and (b) non - linear behavior
(Myles and Carswell, 1986)

7.3 Hydraulic Properties:

Hydraulic testing of geosynthetic is completely based on new and original
concepts, methods, devices, interpretation and databases, unlike the physical and
mechanical testing. The reason behind this is that the traditional textile tests
xiv
 rarely have hydraulic applications. Porosity, permittivity and transmissivity are
the most important hydraulic properties of geosynthetics, especially of
geotextiles, geonets and some drainage composites.
Geosynthetic porosity is related to the ability to allow liquid to flow through it
and is defined as the ratio of the void volume to the total volume. It may be
indirectly calculated for geotextiles using the relationship given below (Koerner,
1990; Shukla 2012):
𝑚
n = 1 - 𝜌𝑡

where n is the porosity, m is the mass per unit area, 𝝆 is the overall geotextile
density, and t is the thickness of the geotextile.
Per cent open area (POA) of a geosynthetic is the ratio of the area of its openings
to its total area and is expressed in percent. The pores in a given geosynthetic,
especially in a geotextile, are not of one size but are of a range of sizes. The pore
– size distribution can be represented in much the same way as the particle size
distribution for a soil.
Permittivity of a geosynthetic (generally geotextile) is simply the coefficient of
the preferred measure of water flow capacity across the geosynthetic plane and
quite useful in filter application.

8. INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:

The following are the various steps involved in the installation of Paraweb to reinforce
soil between bridge abutment walls:

a) The foundation/sub grade soil should be cleared of all deleterious materials and
the surface should be made smooth and level such that any shallow depressions
and humps do not exceed 15 cm in depth. It is recommended that cohesive soils
be compacted in maximum lifts of 15-20 cm and granular soils in lifts of 23-30
cm compacted thickness.
b) A levelling pad is constructed to provide a firm and flat surface on which
facing units can be erected. Usually, a PCC (M15 grade) footing of 600mm x
200mm is adopted.
c) Concrete facing panels are erected on either side to the required height.
d) Adequate facilities for drainage should be provided to prevent the fill from

xv
 getting saturated.
e) The straps are laid, attached to the facing units, pulled and held flat and taut
using a horizontal anchor bar and vertical pins. The connection between the
straps is held using the temporary mild steel ‘S’ clamp.
f) Further courses of facing units as required are fixed and fill material is placed
and compacted to the specified height is reached for the next layer of Paraweb
straps to be installed. The procedure is then repeated.
g) The compaction should be done in such a manner that development of wrinkles
or displacement of the straps does not occur. Minimum compacted fill thickness
between adjacent layers should not be less than 15 cm.
h) The fill material should be placed from the anchor pin to within 2 meters of the
facing units, and compacted thoroughly. The remaining 2 meters of fill should
be placed and compacted using lighter compaction plant.
i) Joints in the strap are made adjacent to the steel pin bar and horizontal steel
anchor bars.
j) Lengths of strap are overlapped by a distance of two meters and clamped
together. The clamp is a construction aid and is redundant once the fill has been
placed and compacted.
k) The ends of the strap are treated with a bitumastic-based sealant to reduce
ingress of moisture.

Figure 4: Typical diagrammatic sectional view

xvi
 (Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)

9. PRACTICABILITY OF INSTALLATION:
 PARAWEB straps are installed easily by trained ground engineering contractors
in accordance with the specifications and construction drawings and are able to
withstand the forces imposed by compaction plant.

 The connection between the straps is made easily using the temporary mild steel
‘S’ clamp (Figure No.5)

 To prevent damage, the straps must be protected from the passage of site traffic
between applications of the layers of fill materials. Fill should be placed to ensure
that the minimum post – Compaction depth of 150mm will be achieved after each
pass of the compaction plant

10 . ANCILLARY ITEMS USED DURING INSTALLATION:

The following ancillary items are used during installation:

 Temporary clamps used for connection between the straps are manufactured from
8 mm diameter plain mild steel bar (Grade 250). Ends of bar are to be filed
smooth to avoid damage to the PARAWEB straps (Fig. No. 5)

 12mm – 20mm diameter horizontal steel anchorage bars and 12 mm – 20 mm

diameter vertical steel pins are used for holding the PARAWEB straps flat and
tout temporarily prior to further fill being placed (Fig. No. 6)

xvi
i
 Fig. No. 5: Steel ‘S’ clamps
(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)

Fig. No. 6: Anchorage Bars

(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)

Fig. No. 7: Typical diagrammatic plan view

(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)

xvi
ii
11. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:
 When designed and installed in accordance with the certificate of BBA, PARAWEB
straps are satisfactory for use in construction of reinforced soil retaining walls and bridge
abutments.

 Structural stability is achieved through the strength of the PARAWEB straps, the
connection strength between the straps and concrete facing panels and by the frictional
interaction between the soil particles and the straps.

 The fill specification and method of placement and compaction, design strength of the
PARAWEB straps and length of embedment within the compacted fill are key design
factors.

 Prior to commencement of work, the designer must satisfy the design approval and
certification procedures of the relevant Highway Authority.

 Particular attention should be paid in design to

 Site preparation

 Fill material properties

 Specification for placing and compaction of the fill material

 Drainage

 Protection of the PARAWEB straps against damage during installation

 Design of the facing units and means of attachement of the PARAWEB

straps.

 The required construction tolerances for the completed structure.

12. A CASE STUDY ON PARAWEB:

In 2006 VSL Middle East were awarded a tender to construct 92,000m2 of retaining
wall on the Muscat Southern Expressway in Oman. VSL’s engineers determined that
the optimum solution was to build the retaining walls using VSL’s VSoL Polymeric
Walls System.

xix
 Figure 8: VSoL Wall
(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)

VSoL Polymeric Wall’s consist of precast concrete facing panels which are attached to
high strength Paraweb reinforcement strips. The Paraweb strips are covered and
compacted with a backfill material. Paraweb reinforces the structure by transferring the
load from the fill material via frictional interaction. VSoL walls up to 56m high have
been built by stacking layer upon layer of interlocking concrete panels.

Paraweb and Paraloop are integral components in the VSoL Polymeric Wall System.
Paraloop’s are cast in to the concrete panels in parallel sets of two. High strength
composite pins are secured between the loops and Paraweb reinforcement strips are
wrapped around the pins. The Paraweb reinforcement strips are then buried in a
compacted fill material.

Figure 9: Muscat Southern Expressway

(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth,
Keighley BD22 0EB, UK)
20
The Southern Expressway project used 30, 50 and 70kN (NBL) Paraweb type 2D. This
particular type of Paraweb was selected by design engineers due to its durable
polymeric sheath. 70kN Paraloop’s were used alongside the type 2D Paraweb strips.

Paraweb and Paraloop’s have a high ultimate tensile strength, low elongation, excellent
creep strain properties and high resistance to environmental and chemical attack. The
combination of these properties make Paraweb and Paraloop ideal anchorage and
reinforcement materials for MSE wall systems.

Due to the technical and economic merits of the Paraweb reinforced VSoL polymeric
wall system, additional walls were awarded to VSL during the construction phase of the
project. In total over 108,000 m2 of Paraweb reinforced wall was installed on the Muscat
Express Way.

The largest wall on the project comprised of two 56m high back to back tiered walls,
built to provide a road embankment for a wadi crossing. These walls are the highest
Mechanically Stabilized Earth or MSE walls built to date using Paraweb reinforcement
strips.

Figure 10: Retaining Wall Concrete Slab

(www.google.com)

21
The Southern Expressway project marked the first project in which Paraweb and
Paraloop’s were used as reinforcement elements within VSL’s VSoL Polymeric Wall
System.

Figure 11. Paraweb Straps Connected with Bolts

(www.google.com)

Figure 12: Constructing Retaining Wall at Site

(www.google.com)

22
13. EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
13.1 Weathering (including exposure to UV light):
PARAWEB straps have adequate resistance to weathering and exposure to
sunlight, when protected in accordance with the recommendations of this
certificate and provided it is covered within one month of installation. Subject
to compliance this exposure time limit, a reduction factor (RFw) of 1.0 may be
used for design purposes for both ULS and SLS. Exposure periods of up to 4
months may be acceptable depending upon the season and location, but are
outside of the scope of this certificate.
13.2 Chemical and biological degradation:
 PARAWEB straps have adequate resistance to hydrolysis for soil
environments typically encountered in United Kingdom.
 PARAWEB straps are highly resistant to microbiological attack
 For a design life of 120 years and soil environments with PH values
between 4.0 and 9.5 and between 9.6 and 11.0, the reduction factors for
chemical/environmental effects (RFCH) for PARAWEB straps at various
temperatures are given in table 2 for Ultimate Limit State (ULS).
Table 2 Reduction factors for chemical/environmental effects (RFCH)
(Linear Composites Ltd., Plastic Product Manufacturer, Vale Mills, Oakworth, Keighley
BD22 0EB, UK)
Soil pH Level Design RFCH (ULS)
Temperature
(°C)
4.0-9.5 20 1.05

4.0-9.5 25 1.09

4.0-9.5 30 1.17

9.6-11.0 20 1.11

9.6-11.0 25 1.15

9.6-11.0 30 1.25

23
  For the serviceability limit state (SLS) the value of RFCH may be taken
as 1.0
 The polyethylene sheath used on PARAWEB acts as a chemical barrier
and provided it is not broken or damaged, will reduce the risk of
chemical attack on the polyester fibres. It should be noted that the most
aggressive fills are usually fine particle sizes which may cost little or no
damage to the polyethylene sheath. Compaction can also reduce the
high pH level of a fill and tests have shown that, 48 hours after the
compaction stage, the pH level of a soil-lime mix reduced from 12.5 –
11.0. as a result, where site and soil specific testing confirms that the fill
material will cause no damage to the polyethylene sheathing and where
this reduction is verified, PARAWEB may be used in soils with PH
levels up to 12, without further increase to the Reduction factors (RFCH)
given in table 2 for pH level 9.6-11.0

14. AN EVALUATION OF PARAWEB’S USABILITY:

Utilization of Paraweb for highway constructions started as early as late 1970’s with
the United Kingdom heavily investing on the technology. Soon it’s fame spread to
the United States and East Asia. In the early 2000’s, it was introduced in Middle East
where poor soil conditions exist and Paraweb was seen a solution to many of its
constructions difficulties.

So far the structures constructed making use of Paraweb has been established as
stable and healthy by many researchers. An evaluation of its potential to replace
many conventional construction practices has been presented below.
14.1 Advantages:

a) Reinforced soil structures are cost-effective alternatives for most applications

where reinforced concrete or gravity type walls have traditionally been used to
retain soil. In such cases, the elimination of costs for foundation improvements
such as piles and pile caps can be achieved.
b) The use of soil reinforcement enables construct an embankment at an angle
steeper than could otherwise be safely constructed with the same soil.
24
c) Roadways can also be widened over existing flatter slopes without encroaching
on existing right-of-ways. It is very beneficial in cases where acquiring a new
right of way is expensive and in some cases, unobtainable.
d) Using reinforcement at the edges of a compacted fill slope helps to provide
lateral resistance during compaction. The increased lateral resistance allows for
an increase in compacted soil density over that normally achieved and provides
increased lateral confinement for the soil at the face. Edge reinforcement also
allows compaction equipment to more safely operate near the edge of the slope.
e) Even modest amounts of reinforcement in compacted slopes have been found
to prevent sloughing and reduce slope erosion.
f) Based on observations in seismically active zones, these structures have
demonstrated a higher resistance to seismic loading than have rigid concrete
structures.
g) Precast concrete facing elements for abutment walls can be made with various
shapes and textures for aesthetic considerations.
h) Construction time required is less in comparison.
i) The system can tolerate large deformations without distress.
j) Structures can be built to larger heights of 50-100m while there are limitations
in height for conventional structures.
k) Unskilled labour can be used for laying the Paraweb straps.

14.2 Disadvantages:
a) Long-term performance of the particular formulated resin being used to make the
geosynthetic must be assured by using proper additives including antioxidants,
ultraviolet screeners, and fillers.

b) Handling, storage, and installation must be assured by careful quality control

and quality assurance about which much has been written.

c) Require granular fill at the present time for many of the reinforcement soil
systems. At sites where there is a lack of granular soils, the cost of importing
suitable fill material may render the system uneconomical.

d) Susceptible to creep

25
e) Large equipment for hauling and placing facing units have to be present at the
site for the entire duration of the work. So more space is required in the site.
f) The design of soil-reinforced systems often requires a shared design
responsibility between material suppliers and owners and greater input from
agencies geotechnical specialists in a domain often dominated by structural
engineers.
g) Since design and construction practice of all reinforced systems are still
evolving, specifications and contracting practices have not been fully
standardized.

15. DELIVERY AND SITE HANDLING:

1. PARAWEB Straps:
 The straps are delivered to site in batches of coils, each batch carrying a
label bearing the grade, length, nominal breaking load and manufacturer’s
date of code. Each strap is impressed on one side at intervals of
approximately 200 mm, with a mark denoting the grade.
 To prevent the damage, care should be taken in transit and handling. During
storage, straps should be kept under cover in clean, dry conditions and
should be protected from damage and extreme temperatures.
2. Other components:
 Other components should also be handled and stored carefully.

16. CONCLUSION:
Even though Paraweb was introduced as early as 1970s, it is only in the past decade
that it has found relative acceptance in the mainstream geo-technical construction
industry. It has gained certification from British Board of Agreement (BBA) for use
in road and bridge construction works.

Using Paraweb system, it is possible to use recycled construction materials for the
backfill, thus reducing the depletion of natural resources and the negative impact of
transportation. The intrinsic characteristics of these techniques also make it
structurally very durable.

However, there is always a scope for improvement in terms of better quality and
increased service life. To explore the potential of geotextile, more researches are
needed in this field.
Extensive awareness should be created among the engineering community in India
about the application of Paraweb soil reinforcement. Also, it should be standardized
and incorporated into the design codes for increasing the trust in this novice
technology. These are effective tools in the hands of the civil engineer that have
proved to solve a myriad of geotechnical problems.

17. REFERENCES:
1) Gorniak J., et al. (2016), Determination of pull-out strength and interface friction
of geosynthetic reinforcement embedded in expanded clay LWA, Proceedings of
the 17th Nordic Geotechnical Meeting
2) King D., et al. (2017), Arching stress/Deformation behavior in geosynthetic
reinforced column supported embankments, 19th International conference on soil
mechanics and geotechnical engineering, 1365 – 1368
3) Saghebfar M., et al. (2017), Performance monitoring of geosynthetic reinforced
soil integrated bridge system (GRS-IBS) in Louisiana, Geotextiles and
Geomembranes 45 (2), 34-47
4) Aggarwal B.J. (2011), Geotextile: It’s application to Civil Engineering –
Overview, National Conference on Recent Trends in Engineering &
Technology, Gujarat, India, 1-6.
5) Desai A. K., et al. (2013), Evaluation of PET and PP geotextile reinforced
embankment on soft soil, Procedia Engineering, 51, 19- 24
6) Li J., et al. (2014), Effect of discrete fibre reinforcement on soil tensile strength,
Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 6, 133-137.
7) Shukla S.K. (2012), Reinforced soil and geosynthetic engineering, Proceedings of
one-day international workshop on geotextiles, Ludhiana, India, 1-12.
8) http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/CertificateFiles/H1/H191ps1i1.pdf
9) http://www.linearcomposites.net/media/paraweb_case_study_01.pdf
10) http://www.linearcomposites.net/?pageid=Paraweb.xml