Effect of a Non-Woven Geotextile Layer on the Permeability and Unconfined Compressive Strength of a Soft High-Plasticity Road Subgrade: A Laboratory Case Study

Muhammad Ivan Pratama; Agus Tugas Sudjianto; Aji Suraji

doi:10.51278/ajse.vi.1691

Authors

Muhammad Ivan Pratama University of Widya Gama Malang
Agus Tugas Sudjianto University of Widya Gama Malang
Aji Suraji University of Widya Gama Malang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51278/ajse.vi.1691

Abstract

Soft, fine-grained road subgrades are both weak and slow to drain. This laboratory case study examined whether a single non-woven geotextile layer changes the permeability and the unconfined compressive strength of a soft subgrade from the Gresik–Lamongan national road (STA 27+250 to STA 32+550, East Java). The soil is a high-plasticity fine-grained soil plotting below the A-line (LL = 68.4%, PI = 24.0%, MH/OH) with a void ratio of 1.49. Remoulded specimens from one bulk sample were tested with and without a geotextile disc at mid-height. In falling-head tests on five technical replicates per condition, the mean permeability increased by 24.6% (ratio of means 1.25, 95% CI 1.21–1.29). An analysis of the head-decay records indicates that the recorded times were most likely cumulative; this changes the absolute k values by about 45% but leaves the treatment ratio almost unchanged (1.25–1.28). In one unconfined compression test per condition, the largest recorded stress increased from 0.379 to 0.489 kg/cm² (+29.0%) and the secant modulus E₅₀ by 34%, with a nearly constant stress ratio of 1.28 between the two curves. Because the strength result rests on a single specimen per condition, it is indicative and must be confirmed by replicated, saturated tests. The results suggest that a non-woven geotextile gives a modest but repeatable improvement in the drainage and strength of this soil, and that its main value in pavements lies in drainage, separation and confinement rather than as a substitute for chemical stabilisation.

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