Coir geotextile reinforced clay dykes for drainage of low-lying areas

Coir geotextiles play a vital role in soil water interaction problems such as stabilizing dykes for polders, construction of embankments, side protection works, drainage works etc. The role of coir geotextile as an engineering material is based on its excellent qualities in filtration, drainage, reinforcement and separation. An attempt is made here to study the scope of coir geotextiles as an environment-friendly solution for strengthening the waterfront clay dykes in a typical lowland region. The study is carried out in Kuttanad region in the state of Kerala, which is a low-lying paddy field terrain with a unique hydrology. Enormous labour input is required every year for constructing and strengthening of the bunds, which lead to heavy economic loss to the farmers. Coir geotextiles serve as an effective filter and reinforcing material for the clay dykes and help in early consolidation of the clay, thereby minimizing the chance of early failure. This paper presents the results of a field study on the use of coir geotextiles as a filter and reinforcing media for saturated clay dykes in a typical lowland terrain.