Geotextile Tube Dewatering

by Ming Zhu, P.E., Ph.D., (M.ASCE), Senior Engineer; Geosyntec, Kennesaw, GA, mzhu@geosyntec.com,
Jay Beech, P.E., Ph.D., (M.ASCE), Senior Consultant; Geosyntec, Kennesaw, GA, jbeech@geosyntec.com,


Serial Information: Geo-Strata —Geo Institute of ASCE, 2015, Vol. 19, Issue 2, Pg. 26-28,30-32


Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

Geotextile tubes are made of high-strength, permeable geotextile that, when filled with a slurry, allow water to drain from the tubes while retaining the solids. They can be prefabricated to customized sizes and easily deployed to project sites to provide a quick and potentially cost-effective dewatering solution. The use of geotextile tubes has less impact on the environment than open impoundment of materials and can be more efficient than mechanical dewatering technologies. The consistency of the materials inside the geotextile tubes changes from a liquid/semi-liquid state to a semi-solid/solid state through the dewatering process, which results in significant volume reduction. Once dewatered, the geotextile tubes can be capped in place if filled on a liner system, or cut open and the dewatered solids easily handled and transported for off-site disposal or beneficial reuse. Due to these advantages, it's becoming more and more common to utilize geotextile tubes for dewatering and containing contaminated materials, such as dredged contaminated sediments, municipal and agricultural waste, and coal mine slurries.

Subject Headings: Geosynthetics | Dewatering | Agricultural wastes | Mine wastes | Dredged materials | Municipal wastes | Materials processing

 

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