NAUE multi-component GCLs improve flood protection designs
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Germany – Allendorf – Flood protection
NAUE
NAUE multi-component GCLs improve flood protection designs
Geosynthetic clay liners have been one of the most dynamically evolving solutions in geotechnical engineering. The composite nature of GCLs has enabled them to regularly extend performance and project relevance. Each component of a GCL can be improved to suit site- and application-specific challenges.
One of the growing markets for multi-component GCLs is rainwater retention basins. Multi-component GCLs are varieties of GCLs with additional surface or bentonite treatments. NAUE’s Bentofix® X geosynthetic clay liners utilize an extruded polyethylene coating for greater service life durability and performance against challenging liquids.
The flood protection work of Ingenieurbüro Dipl.-Ing. Gröticke & Partner GmbH exemplifies the growing importance of multi-component GCLs in infrastructure. The firm was engaged to design a rainwater retention pond for the community of Allendorf. The permanent storage capability required was 1,350 m³. The basin design also demanded slope reinforcement to satisfy the site’s available footprint and ensure stability with the fluctuating heads that would be placed on the system.
Bentofix® X10F BFG 5300 with self-sealing overlaps was specified for the containment.
The traditional Bentofix® construction, with its highly durable geotextile outer layers and core of high-swelling sodium bentonite, provided the uniform, multi-directional, shear-resistant, hydraulic barrier required for the application. The use of an “X” type multi-component GCL, with its extruded polyethylene coating, added the enhanced chemical compatibility performance, long-term durability, and root barrier protection desired for the project. Basin slopes were stabilized with Secugrid ® 40/20 R6 geogrids. The geogrid is engineered with stretched, monolithic flat bars and welded joints for highstrength soil reinforcement. The combination of these geosynthetics has given Allendorf an exceptional new basin with a long-term design life. The very low hydraulic conductivity of the multi-component GCL guards against leakage, thus allowing basin operators to tightly control stormwater release cycles and mitigate flood risk.