SUPPORTING FABRIC FOR BEARING BULK MATERIAL AND A METHOD OF BUILDING ROAD, DIKE OR DAM EMBANKMENTS

Supporting fabric for bearing bulk material and a method of build¬ ing road, dike or dam embankments.

The invention relates to a supporting fabric having a width of at least 30 cm, and preferably more than 2-5 m, and containing warp 5 and weft yarns of a synthetic material, for bearing one or more layers of sand, gravel, stones, clay, loam or similar bulk or other material to a height of at least 10 cm, which height is in actual practice often 5-15 m. The invention also comprises a method of building a road embankment, a dike, a dam or some other structure formed from bulk material, such as for instance sand, gravel or stones.

A supporting fabric of the type indicated above is known from, for instance, the article "Kunststofweefsels in practijk" by Ir. J.H.

Patent Application No. 68 06 970. These known fabrics are often successfully used in building road, dam or dike embankments on a subsoil having a low bearing capacity. On this bad subsoil there is laid a supporting fabric on which subsequently a structure of sand, stones, clinker or other bulk material is formed, the embankment of bulk material may widely vary according to the loca-, lity and the structure to be made, such as simple road surfacing, a motorway, a dike or a breakwater in the sea. For instance, the height of the layer of bulk material may range from about twenty cm to 10-20 m. The use of a supporting fabric on a subsoil leads to permanent stability of the raised structure and a proper, per¬ manent separation between the subsoil and the raised structure.

Furthermore, the load distributing effect of the supporting fabric consists in a reduction of point-to-point differences in consoli¬ dation, so that a re-distribution of stresses is obtained. The use of the known supporting fabric as a soil stabilizing means conse¬ quently leads to considerable savings, compared with the conven¬ tional method of working without the use of this type of soil stabilizing means. It may be generally stated that the supporting fabric has a stabilizing function, with the fabric being subjected mainly to a tensile load. The warp filaments in the known support¬ ing fabric therefore have a high tensile strength and a limited elongation at break. The known supporting fabric has the disadvan¬ tage, however, that in addition to the elongation of the warp yarns there occurs a fabric elongation, which is due to crimp or contraction of the warp yarns. This fabric elongation particularly constitutes a problem as higher demands are made on the load to be taken up by the supporting fabric, particularly because in the case of the supporting fabrics used up till now the fabric elonga- tion in proportion to the elongation of the warp yarns increases as heavier and stronger fabrics are employed. Another disadvantage to the known supporting fabric is that upon being loaded it is subject to transverse contraction, as a result of which its width is considerably reduced.

The invention has for its object to provide such a supporting fabric of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph as no longer displays the disadvantage of unduly high fabric elongation. The supporting fabric according to the invention is characterized in that the yarns extending in the warp direction of the fabric are formed by straight warp yarns and binder warp yarns, the straight warp yarns each having a higher strength than the binder warp yarns, the construction being such that when the fabric is sub¬ jected to a tensile load in the warp direction the straight warp yarns bear a higher proportion of the tensile load, preferably at least 80% than the binder warp yarns. Unexpectedly, it has been found possible for the supporting fabric construction of the type according to the invention to be used for obtaining heavy or even very heavy fabrics having a fairly low fabric elongation. The sup¬ porting fabric according to the invention is advantageously cha- racterized in that the linear density of each of the straight warp yarns is at least five times, and preferably ten to forty times as high as the linear density of the binder warp yarns. A favourable construction of the supporting fabric is characterized according to the invention in that both the number of straight warp yarns and the number of binder warp yarns is 2 to 15 per cm viewed in weft direction, and between successive straight warp yarns or groups of straight warp yarns there are one, two, three or more binder warp yarns. Use of straight warp yarns having a tensile strength of at least 0,2 kN, and preferably 1 to 10 kN, leads to obtaining a supporting fabric according to the invention which is characterized in that the tensile strength and the elongation at break of a strip of the fabric under a tensile load in warp direc¬ tion are at least 200 kN/m, and preferably 350 - 1250 kN/m, and at most 15%, and preferably 1-15%, respectively. The supporting fab¬ ric according to the invention is advantageously characterized in that each of the straight warp yarns is composed of a number of constituent yarns that may optionally be twisted together. The twist, if any, may then be, for instance: 60 turns per metre, the constituent yarns not being twisted or having a draw-twist of about 10 turns per metre. Although as a result of the additional use of binder warp yarns the supporting fabric might be expected to be more intricate and expensive, this is surprisingly not the case, particularly because of the absence virtually of said trans¬ verse contraction. The construction obtained with the supporting fabric according to the invention displays a higher dimensional stability than the fabrics used so far. Favourable results are obtained with a supporting fabric which is characterized in that the straight warp yarns are each formed of polyester, more parti¬ cularly polyethylene terephthalate. Favourable results may, how¬ ever, also be obtained with the use of synthetic yarns of other materials, such as polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene or ara- mids. A favourable embodiment of the supporting fabric is charac¬ terized according to the invention in that the straight warp yarns are each built up of 10-30 constituent yarns which each have a linear density of 700-3000 decitex, preferably 1100 decitex, and 100-500 filaments, preferably about 200. The supporting fabric according to the invention is advantageously characterized in that the number of weft yarns is 2-10 per cm, viewed in the ' direction of the warp, and each of the weft yarns has a linear density of 1000-10000 decitex. Said straight warp yarns and binder warp yarns may be formed by multifilament yarns, monofilament yarns, flat yarn or split fibres. The straight warp and binder warp yarns and the weft yarns of a supporting fabric according to the invention may be of the same material or of different materials. For in¬ stance, the warp yarns may be of polyester and the weft yarns of polypropylene.

A supporting fabric bearing one or more layers of sand, gravel, stones, clay, loam or like bulk or other material is particularly suitable for use on the bottom of the sea if it is characterized according to the invention in that one side of the supporting fabric is provided with a number of spaced transverse partitions, at intervals of preferably 0,25 to 3 m, which are formed by a mat, a sheet of netting, a web or a cloth having a height of 10 to 100 cm, the partioned spaces filled with bulk material being covered at the top and the sides preferably with a cloth. A particularly effective embodiment of this supporting fabric is characterized according to the invention in that the construction is such that the supporting fabric provided with transverse partitions and a layer of bulk material can be rolled up, even when the dimensions of the fabric are, for instance, 10 x 100 m. The fabric can then be rolled off from a vessel at sea and be deposited in the correct place on the bottom.

Another advantage to the supporting fabric according to the inven¬ tion is that the binder warp yarns make it possible for the water permeability of the fabric to be satisfactorily maintained at the desired value, to which it can be set beforehand. This may be realized for instance if between two successive straight warp yarns there are present at least two crossing binder warp yarns in the form of cords.

The invention also comprises a method of stabilizing soil and/or building a road embankment, a dike, a dam or some other structure formed of bulk or other material, such as, for instance, sand, clay, loam, gravel, clinker or stones, the supporting fabric ac¬ cording to the invention being laid on a subsoil and, subsequently, one or more layers of bulk material being placed on the supporting fabric. The supporting fabrics provided with transverse partitions and a layer of bulk or other material can therefore with advantage be pre-fabricated. For certain uses a layer of up to 30-40 cm of loose clay may be dumped onto the cross-partioned supporting fabric. This layer of loose clay may subsequently be compacted and compressed, for instance with the aid of rolls, to a watertight layer of a thickness of about 10 cm. Laying the supporting fabric provided with transverse partitions and a layer of clay thus com¬ pacted on the bottom of a water immediately leads to obtaining a watertight substrate. Providing the cross-partioned supporting fabric with one or more layers of sand or gravel results in ob¬ taining pre-fabricated filter mats.

In various uses the supporting fabric according to the invention must be properly water permeable, but the meshes in the material must be dimensioned appropriate to the conditions under which it is to be used, so that no bulk material can pass through them.

When the bulk material is in the form of sand, use may be made of meshes measuring, for instance, about 0,1 x 0,1 mm to 0,5 x 0,5 mm, depending on the grade limits of the sand.

The following table gives the data on several embodiments of sup¬ porting fabrics according to the invention.

Table Code Example 1 Exninple 2 Example 3 Stabllenka 400 Stabllenka 600 Stabllenka 800 Straight warp type Diolen 850 poly¬ester Diolen 850 poly¬ester Diolen 850 poly¬ester Straight warp No dtex U00fl92xl2Z60 dtex 1100fl92xl8Z60 dtex 1100f192x24240' Binder warp type £nka nylon 155HRS Enkalon 400 nylon Enkalon 400 nylon Binder warp No. dtex 940f)40Z180 dtex 940f:40zi80 dtex 940fl40Z180 Weft type Enkalon 540T nylon Enkalon 540T nylon. Enkalon 540T nylon Wèft No. dtex -1880 f 280 dtex 1880 f280 dtex 1880 f 280 Warp order Straight warp:Binder warp 1:1 1:1 1:1 Fabric constructionon loaa Straight warp niimherof tiireads/cm 5 5 Binder warp numberof threods/cM 5 5 Weft, number offchreads/cm «I, 4", Ah Cloth nass percaD in grammes S2E 1209 1580 Straight warpcontraction 1,0» 0,8% 2,8% Binder warp-contraction 26» 24,8% 27,6% Weft contraction 1,6% 3,0% 3,4% Fabric thickness 1,6. Jss 1,75 mm 2,31 tam Water permeability atgauge pressure of10 cm B20 .11. cm/min. 11 aa/ml n .5 .em/nin Tenacity of fabricstrip in warp direc¬tion 486 kK/m 706 kN/ns 932 kN/m Elongation at break offabric strip in warpdirection 10% 11% 11% 114169 T=i)le (cont'd) Code Stxaight waxp type Straiight waxp No Blnôer warp type Binder warp No.

Weft, type •Weft No.

Waxp order Straight warp:

Binder warp Fabric constr-uction oji loom Straight warp number of thxeads/cm Binder warp ntmber of tiireads/caL Vteft, number of tlureads/ca» Weave Cloth mass per csd in greanoes Straight warp contraction Binder warp contraction Vîeft eontratrtion Fabric thickness Water perroeability at gauge pressure of cm H20 Exaicole 4 Supp. fabric 400 Diolen 850 polyester dtex 1100 f192x12260 Enkalon (nylon) cord dtex 940fl40x500x 3Z250 polypropylene dtex SOOO split fibre 2:2 6.7 conroosite 0,6» 32,2* 1,0» 2,8 xam 90 cm/min Exarople Supp. fabric 800 Diolen 850 polyester dtex 1100 f192x24240 Enkalon (nylon) cord dtex 940fl40SSOOx 3Z250 EnXalon (nylon) cord dtex 1400 f210x2E375x 3Z175 1:2 coicposite 2,0* 68,72* 0,4» 4,75 xmB 70 cm/min Tenacity of fabric strip in warp direc¬ tion Elongation at breaX of fabric strip in warp direction 475 5tH/n 10» 966 kN/io 12» 1141Z69 The tenacity and the elongation were determined in conformity with DIN 53 857, but in such a way that first of all a pre-stretch was applied until the supporting fabric had undergone 1% deformation.

The invention will be further described with reference to the ac- . 5 companying schematic drawing.

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the supporting fabric accord¬ ing to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the fabric according to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting fabric ac- cording to the invention.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a road embankment.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a supporting fabric according to the invention provided with transverse partitions.

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the supporting fabric of Figure 5 provided with bulk material.

The supporting fabric shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a plain weave pattern and is formed by straight warp yarns 1, binder warp yarns 2 and weft yarns 3. Figure 3 shows this fabric in cross-section, like parts being referred to by the same numerals as given in Figures 1 and 2. As appears from the drawings, the straight warp yarns 1 extend practically rectilinearly in the fabric, whereas the binder warp yarns 2 strongly wind about the weft yarns 3. It also appears from the contraction values given in the table that the heavy straight warp yarns 1 practically linearly extend in the supporting fabric. For they show a contraction of as low as 0-2%, i.e. straight warp yarns not contained in the fabric are only 0-2% longer than the straight warp yarns present in the fabric. Upon the supporting fabric according to the invention being subvjected to a tensile load in warp direction the fabric elongation will consequently be very small. As appears from the drawing and the table, the binder warp yarns show a much higher contraction. The contraction of the binder warp yarns is generally in the range of to 10%.

Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a road embankment 4. The build- ing of a road embankment first of all comprises covering a sub- 114169 soil of low bearing capacity with a supporting fabric 6 in such a way that the warp direction of the material is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the road embankment. Subsequently, for instance three different layers of bulk material 7, 8 and 9 are dumped onto the supporting fabric. The top layer 9 is provided in the usual manner with a road surface 10. A supporting fabric thus placed in the foundation of the road embankment has a stabi¬ lizing effect until the subsoil has sufficiently consolidated for it to have a higher bearing capacity and may lead to a consider- able economy on the cost of building a road. Optionally, the sup¬ porting fabric according to the invention may also be placed be¬ tween the boundary surfaces of the three layers of bulk material 7, 8 and 9.

Figures 5 and 6 are a plan view and a view in perspective, respec- tively, of a supporting fabric 11 provided with a large number of transverse partitions 12 which are spaced at 50 cm intervals and have a height of 75 cm. The supporting fabric 11 may measure, for instance, 10 x 100 m. The transverse partitions 12 preferably con¬ sist of synthetic material and may be formed of a mat, a sheet of netting, a web or a fabric. The partitions 12 may be set up and secured by means of U-shaped supporting brackets or staples 13.

However, the partitions 12 also may be attached to the supporting fabric 11 in some other way. The spaces between the partitions are filled up with three layers of bulk material 14, 15 and 16 each having a height of 25 cm. The particle size of the bulk material increases in upward direction of the layers 14, 15 and 16. The layer 14 for instance consists of fine sand, whereas the layer consists of coarse sand. The top layer 16 for instance consists of gravel. The entire filter mat thus formed, i.e. the supporting.

fabric 11 with transverse partitions 12 and bulk materials 14, and 16, is covered at the top and at the sides with a cloth (not shown). After its manufacture the complete filter mat of 10 x 100 m can be rolled up.

Next, the filter mat may be unrolled and placed in a desired place on the bottom of the sea.

It should be added that the Netherlands Patent Application No.

64 05 171 describes a method of protecting dike structures in such a way that the embankment is reinforced by built in or covering netting of some synthetic material. The netting material to be used for it is obtained by weaving, knotting or using the Raschel method. With this known method according to said Netherlands Patent Application no use is made of a supporting fabric compris¬ ing a straight warp, a binder warp and a weft.

Mention is also made of Germany Patent Application 2 000 937, ac- cording to which around the warp yarns of a reinforcing fabric threads are wrapped to prevent the meshes from becoming smaller.

The woven fabrics described in said publication are destined for reinforcing bituminous sheet material. The fabric to this end is to be particularly wide-meshed to permit the passage of the bitu- minous material through the meshes.

French Patent Specification 2 388 090 describes a knitted soil consolidation fabric, which has a lower bearing capacity than a woven fabric. Moreover, in the case of a knitted fabric a less flexible construction is obtained. For in the manufacture of a knitted fabric with a straight warp and a binder warp the required amount of binder warp yarn is three times as high as that in the case of a woven fabric.

In GB 1 447 742 a method is described of armouring a foundation with the aid of a network comprising a system consisting of paral- lei threads of synthetic or glass fibre material and a system of parallel bands crossing and being connected to said system of threads. The parallel threads have a greater strength than the fibres of the system of bands. The stronger threads being regarded as warp threads, the binder warp threads of the present'invention are not provided, which results in the above-described disadvan¬ tages. Further, the fabric according to said publication has fair¬ ly large meshes, so that these known fabrics are less suitable for use in earth filling structures.

- il - In FR 2 214 001 a fabric is described for reinforcing objects of rubber. Around the warp threads a separate thread is wound in such a way that the meshes are kept sufficiently large for the rubber compounds on either side of the fabric to be in contact with each other.

In DE 2 053 891 a method is described of reinforcing a dam of sand or stones by the incorporation into it of loose flexible threads of some synthetic material.

NL 7 007 249 describes a road or dike embankment covered with an asphalt layer. In this asphalt layer or just underneath it there is placed some commonly used reinforcing fabric of synthetic fibres.

Within the scope of the invention various modifications may still be introduced.

PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS :

1. A supporting fabric having a width of at least cm and containing warp and weft yarns of a synthetic material, for bearing one or more layers of sand, gravel, stones, clay, loam or similar bulk or other material to a height of at least cm, characterized in that the yarns extending in the warp direction of the fabric are formed by straight warp yarns and binder warp yarns which in plain view; extend rectilinearly and interweave with the weft yarns, the straight warp yarns each having a higher strength than the binder warp yarns, the construction being such that when the fabric is subjected to a tensile load in the warp direction the straight warp yarns bear a higher proportion of the tensile load than the binder warp yarns.

2. A fabric according to claim 1, having a width of at least 2 cm.

3. A fabric according to claim 1, in which the straight warp yarns bear at least 80% of the tensile load.

4. A supporting fabric according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the linear density of each of the straight warp yarns is at least five times as high as the linear density of the binder warp yarns.

5. A supporting fabric according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the linear density of each of the straight warp yarns is at least 10 to 40 times as high as the linear density of the binder warp yarns.

6. A supporting fabric according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which both the number of straight warp yarns and the number of binder warp yarns is 2 to 15 per cm, viewed in weft direc¬ tion.