Construction of sub-drainage systems with Geodrenes Permadrain – Step by step

Water seepage continues to be one of the main causes of premature deterioration of civil works. For this reason, the construction of sub-drainage systems that allow an adequate management of this fluid is so necessary.

The faster subsurface water is captured and filtered from any project, the better its durability and efficiency. Considering this, the Civil Engineer, Armando Padilla, explains in detail how to build a subdrainage system with Permadrain geodrains, in the following video.

We remind you that you can refer to the transcript of the same at the bottom of this post. 

 

 

 

French drain or geodrain? Calculate, compare and choose the best alternative for your project with our analysis of unitary prices.

 

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VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

 

Step by step: Construction of subdrainage systems with Permadrain geodrains

To obtain an optimal subdrainage system, consider these 5 steps.

 

1. At the beginning of the work, the excavation of the trench must be carried out, taking into account what is established in the design, in terms of dimensions, levels and slopes. You should also take into account that the width for the installation of this kind of geodrains is much smaller than the one usually used for the construction of French drains. This translates into higher performance.

2. With this done, you should proceed with the geodrain installation. Initially, about 5 cm of backfill material is placed at the bottom of the excavation. Subsequently, the geodrain is placed vertically, preferably in the center of the excavation.

3. Keep in mind that both the pipe and the geodrain can be cut to the extent required within the project, although it is necessary that there is an adequate contact of the geonets in the overlap (minimum of 20 cm) and that it is well covered. with the geotextile. As for the pipe, the use of union couplings is recommended.

4. On the other hand, the trench must be filled with granular filter-type material, preferably clean sand or gravel, in order to increase the useful life of the system. The filling, on the other hand, must be done by simultaneously filling both sides of the geodrain.

 

NOTE: This material should be adequately compacted, in such a way as to improve its contact with the geodrain and reduce the compressibility of the fill.

 

5. Then, the upper part of the drain must be sealed with a granular material that allows the adequate infiltration of water in the system.

With that said, it's worth mentioning a few pitfalls when building these kinds of systems that you should clearly avoid.

 

construction errors

• Failure to properly overlap the geodrain. The geonets must be in contact with each other, with a minimum length of 20 cm, as well as adequately covered by the geotextile so that there is no intrusion of fine materials into the system.
• Fill the trench with the same material from the excavation. Especially if it has fine plastics inside, basically because they will affect the performance of the system in the long term.

• Do not compact the fill. This can affect the efficiency of the geodrain in the long term, in addition to generating deformation

 

 

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If you want to know more about the installation process of geodrains and other geosynthetic materials, consult our specialized library. There you will find the necessary documents and guides to become an expert. Additionally, you can analyze and find the best solution for your project with our calculator.

 

 

 

To read later:

 

• Benefits of geogrids for the construction of retaining walls in reinforced soil.
• Recommendations for the construction of retaining walls in reinforced soil.
• Considerations for the design of retaining walls in reinforced soil.