Wicking Loop Cloth Flat Drainage Fabric

Abstract

The geotextile fabric includes first weft yarns woven in the horizontal direction and first and second warp yarns woven in the vertical direction, the first warp yarns being wicking yarns and the second warp yarns being wicking or non-wicking yarns, the first warp yarns forming first loops, the first loops woven through a first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric and extending therefrom across at least two of the first weft yarns to form a first gap between the first loop and the first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to geosynthetic fabrics, and more particularly to related wicking loop cloth planar drainage fabrics.

[0002] Geotextiles, also known as geosynthetic fabrics, are used in a wide range of civil engineering systems to provide isolation, reinforcement, filtration, drainage, infiltration barriers, protection, and erosion control benefits. Typical civil structural applications involve waste containment facilities, pavements, and soil retention structures, to name just a few. Moisture accumulation beneath civil structures can destabilize their bases and cause a variety of problems.

[0003] Geotextiles can be used to separate two layers of soil with different particle size distributions. For example, geotextile tiles are used in road construction to allow the base gravel to penetrate the soil subgrade, maintaining the design thickness of the road base. In addition, the filtration function of geotextiles allows water to flow between the drainable gravel base and the soil subgrade without microscopic migration into the larger pores of the gravel, which would limit its drainage capacity.

[0004] Cross-plane or through-plane drainage through a geotextile corresponds to flow perpendicular to the plane of the fabric, also known as the dielectric constant of the fabric. Typically, conventional geosynthetic fabrics only drain water from the soil under saturated conditions. Under saturated conditions, water reaches the plane of the geosynthetic fabric, penetrates the fabric, and flows across the plane of the fabric, maintaining base stability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Disclosed herein is a geotextile fabric according to one or more embodiments, the geotextile fabric including first weft yarns woven in a horizontal direction and first and second warp yarns woven in a vertical direction, the first warp yarns being wicking yarns and the second warp yarns being wicking or non-wicking yarns, the first warp yarns forming first loops, the first loops woven through a first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric and extending therefrom across at least two of the first weft yarns to form a first gap between the first loop and the first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric.

[0006] According to another embodiment, the geotextile fabric includes first cross-machine direction yarns oriented at any angle relative to the machine direction, and the first and second machine direction yarns in the machine direction, wherein the first machine direction yarns are wicking yarns and the second machine direction yarns are wicking or non-wicking yarns, and the first machine direction yarns form first loops, which are sewn into the geotextile fabric and extend from a first surface of the geotextile fabric across at least two of the first cross-machine direction yarns to form a first gap between the first loop and the first surface of the geotextile fabric.

[0007] According to yet another embodiment, a method of moving water through a woven geotextile fabric includes providing a woven geotextile fabric over a first soil layer, the woven geotextile fabric comprising first weft yarns woven horizontally and first and second warp yarns woven vertically, each of the first warp yarns weaving through the woven geotextile from the first side to the second side to form alternating loops on the first and second sides of the geotextile fabric, each alternating loop extending across at least two of the first weft yarns to form a gap of at least 0.25 millimeters; and using the alternating loops in the woven geotextile fabric to move water from the first soil layer to a second soil layer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] The present invention will be better understood, and the above objects, as well as others, will become apparent, when considered in light of the following detailed description thereof. For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and the inventions described therein, reference should be made to the following detailed description in conjunction with the above and the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Such description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a top view of a schematic diagram of a wicking loop fabric. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is another view of the schematic diagram of the wicking loop fabric of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a top view of a schematic diagram of a wicking loop fabric. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is another view of the schematic diagram of the wicking loop fabric of FIG. 2A. [Figure 2C] It is a wicking loop fabric. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a side view of a schematic diagram of a wicking loop fabric that moves water. [Figure 3B] 3B is a close-up view of a schematic diagram of a water-transporting wicking loop fabric as shown in FIG. 3A. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view of a schematic diagram of a dehydration bag having wicking loop fabric. [Figure 5A] 1 shows a fabric roll with wicking loops sewn onto one side. [Figure 5B] FIG. 1 shows an enlarged top view of a wicking loop sewn onto one side of the fabric. [Figure 5C] 5C shows an enlarged bottom view of the fabric of FIG. 5B. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of capillary suction in soil. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing volumetric water content as a function of matrix suction. [Figure 8]1 is a graph showing hydraulic conductivity as a function of matrix suction (K function). [Figure 9] 1 is a graph showing the accumulation of clear water in a beaker after the formation of a filter cake. [Figure 10] 1 is a graph showing differential water drainage of a geotextile fabric over time. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a soil column test. [Figure 12] 1 is a graph showing volumetric water content as a function of water volume. [Figure 13] 1 is a graph showing volumetric water content as a function of water volume. [Figure 14] 1 is a graph showing volumetric water content as a function of water volume. [Figure 15] 1 is a graph showing the contact angle of a water droplet on a wicking loop and a comparative geotextile over time. [Figure 16] 1 shows the wettability of calendered and non-calendered wicking loop fabrics. [Figure 17A] The closed pressure plate test apparatus used to measure the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) is shown. [Figure 17B] 1 shows the open pressure plate test apparatus used to measure the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC). [Figure 18] 1 shows the capillary rise test apparatus used to measure the geographically synthesized water characteristic curve (GWCC). [Figure 19] 1 shows the pressure plate test apparatus used to measure the geographically synthesized water characteristic curve (GWCC). [Figure 20] The salinity test apparatus used to measure the geographically synthesized water characteristic curve (GWCC) is shown. [Figure 21A] Shows water remaining on top of non-wicking loop fabric. [Figure 21B] 21B shows instantaneous water transport through a wicking loop fabric made from the same base fabric as FIG. 21A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Geotextiles provide separation between two layers of soil with different particle size distributions, particularly when used in soil structures such as roads, embankments, walls, and the like. For example, geotextiles prevent base gravel from penetrating the soil subgrade to maintain the design thickness of the road base. Similarly, the filtration function of geotextiles allows for adequate water flow between the drainable gravel base and the soil subgrade without microscopic migration into the larger pores of the gravel, which would limit drainage capacity. Additionally, geotextile tiles can act as a protective layer by preventing gravel from penetrating the geomembrane used as a moisture barrier.

[0011] Geotextiles are flexible, but when the fabric is placed under tension, the polymers they contain become rigid. The tensile strength of geotextiles adds a reinforcing benefit to soil structures by increasing their stiffness. For example, geotextile reinforcement of pavements significantly extends their design life by slowing the propagation of cracks to the road surface. These cracks allow water ingress into the pavement, which initiates the degradation process.

[0012] Geotextiles are also utilized for their drainage ability to provide a path for water flow parallel to the plane of the geotextile in saturated soils, for example to dissipate pore water pressure at the base of an embankment or as shoulder drainage for pavements.

[0013] However, under unsaturated conditions, the capillary barrier creates and induces undesirable water accumulation at the interface between materials with contrasting hydraulic conductivities (e.g., a geosynthetic fabric covered by fine soil). The capillary barrier therefore prevents water penetration through the geosynthetic, negating some of the benefits of geotextiles.

[0014] Geotextiles have an average opening size (AOS) similar to that of coarse-grained soils. When two unsaturated porous materials with different hydraulic conductivities are in contact with each other, for example, a fine-grained soil overlying a geotextile capillary barrier is formed, which increases the water storage of the overlying soil. Water accumulation continues within the overlying fine-grained soil until sufficient energy is generated so that the hydraulic conductivity of the fine-grained soil exceeds that of the geotextile, thereby causing breakthrough and ultimately allowing flow into the geotextile openings. However, water storage does not increase beyond the soil's saturated water content. This excess water reduces soil strength and stability at the soil / geotextile interface.

[0015] During the design phase of civil construction, it is commonly assumed that when water reaches a geotextile, it will penetrate the fabric and be removed from the soil. However, in the presence of unsaturated soil, capillary barriers resist water drainage, resulting in water accumulation at the soil / geotextile interface. This excess water reduces soil strength and stability at the soil / geotextile interface. Unsaturated conditions are commonly found in pavement systems and various other civil engineering structures. When capillaries restrict water flow when a fine-grained soil overlies a coarse-grained soil, water accumulation continues in the fine-grained soil until suction in the fine-grained soil decreases to the point where the hydraulic conductivities of the two adjacent soils are identical. When suction is reduced in the overburdened soil enough to allow water to break into larger pores, called breakthrough suction or breakthrough, water accumulation stops and flows into the coarse-grained soil.

[0016] Therefore, there is a need for a geosynthetic fabric that has the ability to provide cross-plane drainage under unsaturated soil conditions. Further, there is a need for a geosynthetic fabric that resists capillary barrier formation in unsaturated soils and promotes water infiltration into the fabric and underlying soil or drainage material, such as aggregates.

[0017] Described herein are geotextile fabrics having wicking loops on one or both sides / faces. In embodiments, the geotextile fabric is placed between layers of soil or drainage material and used to move water across or through the fabric surface, and / or the geotextile fabric is used in dewatering applications. In other embodiments, the geotextile fabric includes machine direction yarns that form wicking loops on one or both sides of the geotextile fabric. In some embodiments, the geotextile fabric is a woven fabric formed with wicking yarns woven through the fabric and having warp yarns that form loops on one or both sides / faces of the fabric. In embodiments, the loops cross at least two wicking yarns in the crosswise direction of the base fabric. The wicking loops on the first surface (upper wicking loops) allow moisture to be drawn from unsaturated soil and evacuated across the base fabric through the wicking loops and crosswise yarns of the base fabric, while the second surface loops (lower wicking loops) provide suction across the base fabric, since no suction is required for the porous layer below to carry out such a process. Moisture drips from the lower wicking loops into the porous layer below and drains away from the fabric. When the soil being filtered is saturated or nearly saturated (i.e., low soil suction), the highly permeable fabric within the base provides rapid equalization of the high phase moisture flow across the fabric, reducing hydraulic head differentials. The geosynthetic fabric is an anti-capillary barrier geotextile, which promotes moisture infiltration for cross-planar enhanced drainage and substantially prevents capillary barrier formation in unsaturated soils at the soil / geotextile interface. The anti-capillary barrier geotextile substantially minimizes moisture accumulation from the capillary barrier due to enhanced cross-planar flow. In one embodiment, this novel feature within the geotextile prevents the soil from becoming oversaturated and peeling down its slope, potentially causing mud slides, soil loss, and erosion damage.

[0018] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams of a wicking loop geotextile fabric 100. The geotextile fabric 100 has a cross-machine (cross) direction and a machine (warp) direction. The geotextile fabric includes weft yarns 106 (first weft yarns) woven in the cross-machine (cross) direction. The geotextile fabric further includes first warp yarns 102 and second warp yarns 104 woven in the machine (warp) direction.

[0019] The weft yarns 106 and second warp yarns 104 form a base fabric 110, and the first warp yarns 102 are woven through the base fabric 110 to form linked wicking loops on both sides / faces of the base fabric 110 (see Figures 3A and 3B). The linked wicking loops provide improved water removal performance.

[0020] The weft yarn 106 may be a wicking yarn or a non-wicking yarn. "Yarn" means a continuous length of twisted or otherwise intertwined multiple filaments (i.e., multifilament) that may be used to manufacture woven or knitted fabrics and other articles. "Fiber" means a material having a length-to-diameter ratio greater than about 10. "Knitted fabric" means a fabric formed of interwoven loops. The term "wicking yarn" includes wicking fiber, wicking monofilament, bundles of wicking monofilament fibers, or any combination thereof. Wicking yarns transport liquids, such as water, substantially along a single axis.

[0021] In embodiments, the weft yarns 106 have a multi-channel cross-sectional shape, a multilobal cross-sectional shape, a delta cross-sectional shape, a trilobal cross-sectional shape, a pillow cross-sectional shape, or a circular cross-sectional shape. In some embodiments, the wicking yarns have a capillary channel structure having at least two walls extending from a base, whereby the base and walls define at least one capillary channel. In some embodiments, the wicking yarns have a hydrophilic surface composition, which may be inherent due to the nature of the material used to make the fiber or may be manufactured by the application of a surface finish. In one or more embodiments, the wicking yarns are textured or air-textured.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, the weft yarns 106 are round monofilaments. In other embodiments, the weft yarns 106 have a denier count of about 250 to about 7500. In some embodiments, the weft yarns 106 have a denier count of about 500 to about 3500.

[0023] In embodiments, the weft yarns 106 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 5 to about 50 threads per inch. In other embodiments, the weft yarns 106 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 10 to about 20 threads per inch.

[0024] The first warp yarns 102 are wicking yarns having a multi-channel, multi-lobal, delta, trilobal, pillow, or round cross-sectional shape. In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are textured or air-textured.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are a bundle of fibers, each fiber having a denier of about 0.1 denier to about 100 denier. In embodiments, the denier of each fiber in the bundle is about 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 have a thread count of about 500 to about 15,000 denier, and in some embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 have a thread count of about 1,000 to about 3,500 denier.

[0027] Geotextile fabrics have a variety of yarn densities, specified in terms of the number of ends per inch in each direction, warp and weft / fill. The higher this value, the more ends per inch, the greater or denser the yarn fabric. In embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 1 to about 45 threads per inch. In other embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 5 to about 15 threads per inch.

[0028] The second warp yarns 104 are wicking or non-wicking yarns. In embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are flat monofilaments, round monofilaments, oval monofilaments, fibrillated tapes, non-fibrillated tapes, continuous filaments, spun yarns, or multi-channel yarns. In other embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 have a multi-channel cross-sectional shape, a multi-lobal cross-sectional shape, a delta cross-sectional shape, a trilobal cross-sectional shape, a pillow cross-sectional shape, or a circular cross-sectional shape. In other embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are textured or air-textured.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 have a thread count of about 500 to about 15,000 denier, and in some embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 have a thread count of about 1,000 to about 5,000 denier.

[0030] In embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 5 to about 45 threads per inch. In other embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 10 to about 20 threads per inch.

[0031] Each of the weft yarns 106, first warp yarns 102, and second warp yarns 104 independently comprises a synthetic material, a natural material, or a combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of synthetic materials include polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, polyimide, or a combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of natural materials include cotton, wool, flax, or a combination thereof.

[0032] The first warp yarns 102 form interlaced loops woven through the base fabric 110. In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 form a first loop 108 (or a plurality of first loops 108) that are woven through the geotextile fabric and extend from a first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric across at least two of the first weft yarns 106 to form a first gap (or a plurality of first gaps) between the first loop 108 and the first surface 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric (see also the side views of FIGS. 3A and 3B). In FIG. 1A, the first warp yarns 102 extend across seven weft yarns 106 to form the first loop 108, although the number of weft yarns 106 is not limited to this number. In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 form first loops 108 that extend across at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 of the weft yarns 106 .

[0033] The first gap formed between the first loop 108 and the first surface 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric is at least 0.25 millimeters. In some embodiments, the first gap is between about 10 and about 50 millimeters. In other embodiments, the first gap is approximately at or between about 0.25, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 millimeters.

[0034] The first warp yarns 102 forming the first loops 108 are interwoven, sewn, or otherwise attached to the base fabric 110 to form loops at less frequent intervals than the second warp yarns 104. The plurality of first loops 108 are formed to extend from a first surface of the fabric, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In some embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are woven through the base fabric 110 and form a plurality of second loops, which extend from a second, opposing surface of the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric (see also the side views of FIGS. 3A and 3B). The plurality of second loops also extend across at least two of the weft yarns 106 to form a second gap between the second loops and the second surface of the woven geotextile fabric. In one or more embodiments, the first loops 108 have a different length than the second loops.

[0035] The first loops 108 and corresponding second loops on the opposite side of the base fabric 110 are arranged in a series of alternating sets of offset rows. As shown in FIG. 1B , for example, the first loops 108 are arranged in an alternating arrangement of first rows 112 and second rows 114 in the cross-machine (cross) direction, and the first rows 112 and second rows 114 are offset relative to one another such that the first loops 108 in the first row 112 are offset in the machine (warp) direction relative to the first loops 108 in the second row 114. The first rows 112 and second rows 114 are repeated in an alternating pattern across the cross-machine (cross) direction of the fabric. Thus, second loops (not shown) on the opposing second side of the fabric have a similar pattern of alternating offset first and second rows of second loops.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the geotextile fabric 200 further includes second weft yarns 202 woven in the cross-machine (cross) direction, as shown in Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C. The geotextile fabric includes first weft yarns 106 and second weft yarns 202 woven in the cross-machine (cross) direction. The geotextile fabric 200 also includes first warp yarns 102 and second warp yarns 104 woven in the machine (warp) direction. The geotextile fabric shown in Figures 2A and 2B includes a set of two second weft yarns 202 alternating with seven first weft yarns 106, and the geotextile fabric in Figure 3A includes three second weft yarns 202 alternating with eleven first weft yarns, although geotextiles are not limited to these numbers.

[0037] Each of the first weft yarn 106 and the second weft yarn 202 is independently a wicking yarn or a non-wicking yarn. The first weft yarn 106 and the second weft yarn 202 can be the same or different. In some embodiments, the first weft yarn 106 is a non-wicking yarn and the second weft yarn 202 is a wicking yarn.

[0038] The first weft yarns 106, the second weft yarns 202, and the second warp yarns 104 form a base fabric 110, and the first warp yarns 102 are woven through the base fabric 110 to form linked wicking loops on both sides / faces of the base fabric 110. The linked wicking loops provide improved water removal performance.

[0039] The first weft yarns 106, the first warp yarns 102, and the second warp yarns 104 are described above with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. The second weft yarns 202 are wicking yarns or non-wicking yarns. In embodiments, the second weft yarns 202 have a multi-channel cross-sectional shape, a multilobal cross-sectional shape, a delta cross-sectional shape, a trilobal cross-sectional shape, a pillow cross-sectional shape, or a round cross-sectional shape. In one or more embodiments, the second weft yarns 202 are textured wicking yarns or air-textured wicking yarns.

[0040] The second weft yarns 202 are made of synthetic materials, natural materials, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of synthetic materials include polyolefins (e.g., polyester), polyamides, polyimides, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of natural materials include cotton, wool, flax, or combinations thereof.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, the second weft yarns 202 have a thread count of about 250 denier to about 7500 denier, and in some embodiments, the second weft yarns 202 have a thread count of about 1000 to about 2500 denier.

[0042] In embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 5 to about 45 threads per inch. In other embodiments, the second warp yarns 104 are woven into the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric 100 at a density of about 10 to about 20 threads per inch.

[0043] In one or more embodiments, the first weft yarns 106 are non-wicking yarns and the second weft yarns 202 are wicking yarns. The second weft yarns 202 are interwoven / woven into the base fabric 110 at a lower density than the first weft yarns 106, as shown in Figures 2A and 3A. In some embodiments, the ratio of the first weft yarns 106 to the second weft yarns 202 is from about 1:1 to about 50:1. In other embodiments, the ratio of the first weft yarns 106 to the second weft yarns 202 is about 1:5, about 10, about 15, about 20, about 25, about 30, about 35, about 40, about 45, or about 50.

[0044] In other embodiments, a repeating pattern of 2 to 3 second weft yarns 202 and 7 to 11 first weft yarns 106 is woven in the weft direction. In still other embodiments, a repeating pattern of about 1 to about 4 second weft yarns 202 and about 5 to about 13 first weft yarns 106 is woven in the weft direction. In yet still other embodiments, a repeating pattern of about 1 to about 5 second weft yarns 202 and about 2 to about 11 first weft yarns 106 is woven in the weft direction.

[0045] The first warp yarns 102 form interlaced loops woven through the base fabric 110 formed by the first weft yarns 106, the second weft yarns 202, and the second warp yarns 104. In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 form a first loop 108 (or multiple first loops 108) adjacent to the second weft yarns 202 or woven through the geotextile fabric between pairs of the second weft yarns 202. In other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2A, the first warp yarns 102 are woven under and over the second weft yarns 202 arranged in pairs between each of the loops. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2C, the first warp yarns 102 are woven under and over the second weft yarns 202 arranged in triplicate between each of the loops.

[0046] The first warp yarns 102 extend from the first side of the woven geosynthetic fabric across at least two of the first weft yarns 106 to form a first gap between the first loop 108 and the first side of the woven geosynthetic fabric (see also FIGS. 3A and 3B). In FIG. 2A, the first warp yarns 102 extend across seven weft yarns 106, although the number of weft yarns 106 is not limited to this number. In one or more embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 form a loop (or multiple loops) that extend across at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 of the weft yarns 106.

[0047] The first gap formed between the first loop 108 and the first surface of the woven geosynthetic fabric is at least 0.25 millimeters. In some embodiments, the first gap is between about 10 and about 50 millimeters. In other embodiments, the first gap is approximately at or between about 0.25, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 millimeters.

[0048] The first warp yarns 102, which form the first loops 108, are interwoven / woven into the base fabric 110 at less frequent intervals than the second warp yarns 104. The plurality of first loops 108 are formed to extend from a first surface of the fabric, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C. In some embodiments, the first warp yarns 102 are woven through the base fabric 110 and also form a plurality of second loops, which extend from a second, opposing surface of the base fabric 110 of the woven geosynthetic fabric. The plurality of second loops also extend across at least two of the weft yarns 106 to form a second gap between the second loops and the second surface of the woven geotextile fabric. In one or more embodiments, the first loops 108 have a different length than the second loops.

[0049] The weave pattern of a woven fabric structure is the pattern in which warp yarns are interwoven with weft (or fill) yarns. Woven fabrics are characterized by the interlacing of these yarns, while plain weaves are characterized by a repeating pattern in which each warp yarn is woven over one weft yarn and then under the next weft yarn.

[0050] The term "shed" derives from the temporary separation between upper and lower warp yarns through which weft or fill yarns pass during the weaving process. The shed allows the warp yarns to interweave with the fill yarns based on a harness lift pattern to create a particular woven fabric. By separating some of the warp yarns from the other yarns, a shuttle, projectile, or the like can carry the fill yarns through the shed, for example, perpendicular to the warp yarns. As is known in weaving, the raised warp yarns and the lowered warp yarns become the lowered warp yarns and the raised warp yarns, respectively, after each pass of the weft yarn. During the weaving process, the shed is lifted, the shuttle carries the weft yarns through the shed, the shed is closed, and the fill yarns are tucked into place, referred to as a fabric drop. Thus, when used herein with respect to a woven fabric, the term "shed" refers to each fill set surrounded by warp yarns.

[0051] The weave pattern of the geotextile fabric described herein is a plain weave with one to two pick insertions, according to some embodiments. Although the base fabric 110 shown in Figures 1A and 2A is a plain weave, the weave pattern of the base fabric of the geotextile fabric is not limited to a plain weave.

[0052] In some embodiments, the base weave of the geotextile fabric is a flat multi-pick weave. A flat multi-pick weave is characterized by a repeating pattern in which a warp set of one or more warp yarns is woven over one weft set of two or more fill / fill / weft yarns, and then woven under the next weft set. In other words, a flat multi-pick weave includes a weft set with two or more fill yarns per shed. For example, a six-pick weave is characterized by a repeating pattern in which a warp set of one or more warp yarns is woven over one weft set of six weft yarns, and then woven under the next weft set. That is, a flat six-pick weave includes a weft set with six weft yarns per shed. As used herein, a 1 / 2 plain weave is characterized by a repeating pattern in which each warp yarn is woven over one weft set of two fill yarns, and then woven under the next two-fill yarn set. The 1 / 3, 1 / 4, and 1 / 5 plain weaves are characterized by a repeat pattern in which each warp yarn is woven over one fill set of three, four, or five fill yarns, respectively, and then woven under the next fill set of a similar number of yarns. As used herein, the 1 / 6 plain weave is characterized by a repeat pattern in which each warp yarn is woven over one fill set and then woven under the next fill set.

[0053] In another embodiment, the base weave of the geotextile fabric is a twill weave. In contrast to plain weave and plain multi-pick weave, twill weave has fewer interlaces in a given area. Twill weave is the basic type of weave, and there are various twill weaves. Twill weaves are indicated by the number of weft / fill yarns through which a single warp yarn passes and then underlies. For example, in a 2 / 2 twill weave, a single warp yarn end is woven over two fill yarns and then under two fill yarns. In a 3 / 1 twill weave, a single warp yarn end is woven over three fill yarns and then under one fill yarn. For fabrics constructed from the same type and size of yarn with the same yarn or monofilament density, a twill weave has fewer interlaces per area than a corresponding plain weave fabric. Therefore, a twill weave is not a plain multi-pick weave.

[0054] In one or more embodiments, the base weave of the geotextile fabric is a satin weave. In contrast to plain weave and plain multi-pick weave, satin weave also has less interlacing in a given area. This is another basic type of weave that can generate a wide range of variations. Satin weaves are indicated by the number of ends in which the weave pattern is repeated. For example, a five-harness satin weave is repeated in five ends, with a single warp yarn floating over four fill yarns and passing under one fill yarn. An eight-harness satin weave is repeated in eight ends, with a single warp yarn floating over seven fill yarns and passing under one fill yarn. For fabrics constructed from the same type of yarn with the same yarn density, satin weaves have less interlacing than either the corresponding plain weave or twill weave. In one or more embodiments, the geotextile fabric base is a two-ply weave. A two-ply weave reduces interlacing from the warp yarns by splitting with a second weft yarn, creating a looser weave.

[0055] The wicking and non-wicking fibers used herein for both warp and weft yarns are made from melt-spinnable polymers, including, but not limited to, polyester, nylon, polyolefin, and cellulose ester. Non-limiting examples of polymers include chemical cellulosic polymers such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene / polypropylene copolymer blends, polyamide, viscose, di- or triacetyl, copolymers, terpolymers, and thermoplastic polymers such as graft polymers, polyesters, copolymers of dicarboxylic acids or their esters with glycols, or any combination thereof. Dicarboxylic acid and ester compounds include, but are not limited to, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, p,p'-diphenyldicarboxylic acid, p,p'-dicarboxydiphenylethane, p,p'-dicarboxydiphenylhexane, p,p'-dicarboxydiphenylether, p,p'-dicarboxyphenoxyethane, and the like, as well as their dialkyl esters containing 1 to about 5 carbon atoms in the alkyl group.

[0056] As mentioned above, when the moisture content is low, high soil suction inhibits moisture and prevents water from migrating into more porous media. In some embodiments, the geotextile fabrics described herein are placed between soil or drainage layers to wick water from one layer to the other. When the geotextile fabric includes alternating wicking loops on opposite sides / faces of the fabric, the alternating loops wick water from a first soil or drainage layer to a second soil or drainage layer.

[0057] FIG. 3A is a side view of a schematic diagram of a wicking loop fabric that transfers water from a first soil layer 316 (or a drainage layer, also called an aggregation layer) to a second soil layer 308 (or a drainage layer, also called an aggregation layer). FIG. 3B is a close-up view of the schematic diagram of a wicking loop fabric that transfers water as shown in FIG. 3A. A geotextile fabric is disposed between the first soil layer 316 (or a drainage layer) and the second soil layer 308 (or a drainage layer). The geotextile fabric includes a base fabric 306 having wicking warp yarns 310 woven through the base fabric 306 and forming alternating loops on both sides of the base fabric 306. The wicking warp yarns 310 form first loops 318 on a first face / side of the base fabric 306. The first loops 318 extend from the first face / side of the base fabric and form first gaps 319 between the base fabric 306 and the first loops 318. The wicking warp yarn 310 is woven around a first weft yarn 314 through the base fabric and back to the first side, and around an adjacent second weft yarn 315 back to the second side, forming a second loop 322 and a second gap on the second side / side of the base fabric 306. The wicking warp yarn 310 is then woven around another first weft yarn 314 through the base fabric and back to the first side, and around an adjacent second weft yarn 315 back to the first side, forming a first loop 318. The first loop 318 (upper wicking loop) is disposed in the first soil layer 316 (or aggregate layer), and the second loop 322 (lower wicking loop) is disposed in the second soil layer 308 (or aggregate layer). In some embodiments, the first weft yarn 314 and the second weft yarn 315 are wicking yarns.

[0058] The first soil layer 316 (or drainage layer) includes soil particles 320 (or drainage particles) with pores between them and water 302 within the pores. The second soil layer 308 (or drainage layer) includes soil particles 321 (or drainage particles), such as drainage stones, with pores between them that are larger than those of the first soil layer 316. When the water content is low, high soil suction generally holds back moisture within the first soil layer 316 and prevents water from dropping into the more porous second soil layer 316. However, the wicking loop geotextile provides sufficient suction to transport water from the first soil layer 316 to the second soil layer 308 (drainage layer or aggregate layer) against the capillary barrier created under unsaturated conditions. The highly permeable base fabric 306 ensures that the geotextile fabric dewaters sufficiently when the overlying soil (first soil layer 316) has lower soil suction (for higher water content and / or sandier soils) (see FIG. 3A, which shows high water flow 312 through the highly permeable portions of the base fabric 306 between the loops). The first loops 318 wick water 302 from the above-mentioned first soil layer 316 and conduct the water 302 across the base fabric 306, and the second loops 322 then saturate the water 302 and allow it to fall into the second soil layer 308 (or drainage or aggregate layer).

[0059] In some embodiments, a method of moving water through a geotextile fabric includes providing a geotextile fabric between a first soil layer (or drainage layer) and a second soil layer (or drainage layer or aggregate layer), and using alternating loops in the woven geotextile fabric to move water from the first soil layer to the second soil layer.

[0060] In one or more embodiments, the first soil layer (or drainage layer) is a material layer containing rare soil elements and / or acid mine sludge, and the second soil layer (or drainage layer) contains drainage gravel. Acid mine drainage occurs when groundwater passes through a layer of sulfide minerals, becoming acidic and forming a low-pH sulfuric acid solution. This drainage puts heavy metals into solution, which oxidize when they come into contact with air. The acidic water is discharged from surface and underground mines into the open-air environment, contaminating surface water with a red, orange, or yellow precipitate called ochre.

[0061] In some embodiments, the geotextile fabric used to move water is stitched to a dewatering bag or geotube. Figure 4 shows a side view of a schematic diagram of a dewatering bag 402 or geotube with wicking loop fabric. The dewatering bag 402 includes a wicking loop geotextile fabric. The geotextile fabric includes a dewatering base fabric 403 and an alternating wicking loop 410 structure on both sides of the dewatering base fabric 403. The dewatering bag 402 contains the material 404 to be dewatered, such as acid mine sludge and / or rare earth elements. The dewatering bag 402 is placed on a drainage layer 414, such as drainage gravel, on a subgrade layer 412. A portion of the dewatering bag 402 is also exposed to air. At the surface of the dehydration bag 402 that is exposed to the air, the wicking loops 410 create a water / moisture suction 406 that moves water from the material being dehydrated 404 within the dehydration bag 402 to the outside air, resulting in evaporation of the water into the air 409. At the portion of the dehydration bag 402 that contacts the drainage layer 414, the wicking loops 410 create a water / moisture suction 416 that moves water from the material being dehydrated within the dehydration bag 402 to the drainage layer 414 (see water drip section 416).

[0062] In one or more embodiments, the geotextile fabric is used in landfills. The geotextile fabric is used in a variety of applications in landfills. The geotextile fabric acts as a liner on the bottom of the landfill, which may be between layers of material. The geotextile fabric is also placed on top of the landfill, which may be between layers of material. The geotextile fabric allows water flow and allows for drainage.

[0063] In some embodiments, the geotextile fabric has wicking loops sewn into one or both sides of the fabric. FIG. 5A shows a roll of geotextile fabric 500 with wicking loops sewn onto a base fabric 510. The geotextile fabric has a cross-machine direction and a machine direction. The base fabric 510 is a nonwoven fabric (e.g., a spunbond fabric). The base fabric 510 further includes first cross-machine direction yarns 506 oriented at an angle relative to the machine direction. The first cross-machine direction yarns may be woven, knitted, stitched, seamed, bonded, or laid at any angle relative to the machine direction. The first cross-machine direction yarns 506 and the base fabric 510 form the base fabric.

[0064] The first machine direction yarns 502 are disposed on the first cross-machine direction yarns 506 in the machine direction and are wicking yarns. The first machine direction yarns 502 form first loops 508, which are sewn by bonding yarns 512 to the base fabric 510 and extend from the first side of the geotextile fabric to form first gaps between the first loops 508 and the first side of the base fabric 510 of the geotextile fabric 500. In some embodiments, the bonding yarns 512 are sewn on the first machine direction yarns 502 in a chevron pattern or a zigzag pattern, with each first loop 508 defined by the distance between successive bonding yarns 512 across the machine direction.

[0065] In one or more embodiments, all of the first loops are secured to the first surface of the fabric by a binder yarn 512. Non-limiting examples of materials for the binder yarn 512 include polyester, nylon, polyolefin, and cellulose ester. Non-limiting examples of polymers for the binder yarn 512 include chemical cellulosic polymers such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyethylene, polypropylene / polypropylene copolymer blends, polyamide, viscose, di- or triacetyl, copolymers, terpolymers, and thermoplastic polymers such as graft polymers, polyesters, copolymers of dicarboxylic acids or their esters with glycols, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the binder yarn is a bicomponent polyester fiber having a core and / or sheath comprising polyester.

[0066] Figure 5B shows an enlarged top view of wicking loops sewn onto one side of a geosynthetic fabric 520, and Figure 5C shows an enlarged bottom view of the fabric of Figure 5B. The geosynthetic fabric 520 has a cross-machine direction and a machine direction. The nonwoven base fabric 510 (e.g., scrim) further includes first cross-machine direction yarns 506 oriented at an angle relative to the machine direction. The first cross-machine direction yarns 506 are woven, knitted, sewn, stitched, bonded, or laid at an angle relative to the machine direction. The first cross-machine direction yarns 506 and fabric 510 form a base fabric. The first machine direction yarns 502 are wicking yarns. The first machine direction yarn 502 forms a first loop 508, which is sewn by bonding yarn 512 to the base fabric 510 and extends from a first side of the geosynthetic fabric 520 to form a first gap between the first loop 508 and the first side of the base fabric 510 of the geotextile fabric 520.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the geosynthetic fabric further comprises a second cross-machine direction yarn woven in the cross-machine direction, hi an embodiment, the first cross-machine direction yarn is a non-wicking yarn and the second cross-machine direction yarn is a wicking yarn.

[0068] Either the first warp yarns or the second warp yarns described above with respect to the geotextile fabric 100, 200 of Figures 1A-2C can be used as the first or second machine direction yarns. Either the first weft yarns or the second weft yarns described above with respect to the geotextile fabric 100, 200 of Figures 1A-2C can be used as the first or second cross-machine direction yarns. The first gap formed by the first machine direction yarns 502 has any of the dimensions described above with respect to the geotextile fabric 100, 200. In some embodiments, the first gap formed between the first loop and the first surface of the geosynthetic fabric 500, 520 is at least 0.25 millimeters. In some embodiments, the first gap formed between the first loop and the first surface of the geosynthetic fabric is about 1 to about 10 millimeters, or about 1 to about 8 millimeters. In other embodiments, the first gap formed between the first loop and the surface of the geotextile fabric is from about 1 to about 50 millimeters.

[0069] In some embodiments, the geosynthetic fabric is formed by forming a base fabric, which may be a nonwoven, woven, woven, or knitted fabric, and then weaving or sewing wicking warp yarns through or onto the base fabric to form loops on one or both sides of the fabric. In other embodiments, the geosynthetic fabric is formed by forming a base fabric and sewing wicking warp yarns into the base fabric on one or both sides of the fabric.

[0070] Geotextile fabrics reduce capillary suction in soils. Soil suction is the ability to absorb and retain water, primarily due to capillary action in soil structure. Increased water content is of concern because it can change the soil's hydraulic and mechanical properties, leading to engineering problems with unsaturated soils. The forces acting on spherical particles in soil are due to surface tension. The finer the soil grain, the greater the soil's capillary suction and the higher the capillary rise, as shown in Figure 6. In other words, finer-grained soils, such as clay and silt loam, accumulate water to a greater extent than coarser-grained soils, such as sandy loam and fine sand, due to the soil's capillary suction, resulting in an undesirably higher capillary rise in the soil.

[0071] There are different types of available water in soil: hygroscopic water is "bound" water that can only be removed by oven drying; capillary water is water that is retained through substrate suction and that the plant body can extract; and heavy water is free water that can be drained by gravity.

[0072] For coarse-grained soils, hydraulic conductivity is somewhat proportional to porosity or void fraction, but for fine-grained soils, such as silts and clays, hydraulic conductivity is low despite having high void fraction. The reason for this is that most of the pore space is usually taken up by hygroscopic and capillary water, thus leaving very little gravity-drainable pore space.

[0073] Although counterintuitive, when an unsaturated fine-grained soil layer is covered by another unsaturated porous material with relatively large pore sizes, such as a coarse-grained soil layer (e.g., sand, gravel) or a porous geosynthetic (e.g., nonwoven geotextile), the hydraulic conductivity of the unsaturated gravel or geotextile can be significantly less than that of the unsaturated soil because of the capillary barrier that occurs. Water does not move from the soil into the porous medium until the soil moisture increases to a point (known as capillary breakage). Increased suction in the porous medium can lead to capillary breakage at lower soil moisture contents.

[0074] To quantify the water storage capacity in porous media (such as soil), the volumetric water content θ is measured as a function of porous media suction ψ. Volumetric water content is defined as the ratio of the volume of water to the total volume of the geomaterial. The relationship between soil moisture and suction defines the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC), which shows the amount of water present in the pore space and the suction water content curve (see Figure 7). The SWCC curve provides a linear relationship between the moisture state (volumetric water content, as a decimal fraction) and the θ w = amount of water / total volume; as a percentage, w = mass of water / mass of solids; or saturation, as a percentage, S = amount of water / volume of voids) and matrix suction, u w -u a (expressed on a logarithmic scale). Similarly, the geosynthetic water characteristic curve (GWCC) defines the relationship between moisture and suction of a geotextile.

[0075] Matrix suction is the difference between pore air and pore water pressure. Laboratory measurements of matrix suction can be performed using the axial displacement technique, which is described as follows and shown in Figures 17A and 17B. The axial displacement technique converts the reference origin of pore water pressure from standard atmospheric conditions to the final air pressure in the chamber. The tendency of water in the measurement system to become negative is offset by increasing the air pressure in the chamber. Finally, at equilibrium, the difference between the air pressure in the chamber and the measured water pressure at equilibrium is considered to be the matrix suction of the soil. To conduct the test, soil samples are compacted at their optimum moisture content. Each sample is compressed in five layers, with the different layers separated by thin metal plates to ensure a relatively flat and smooth contact surface. The samples are then placed in a plastic mold and immersed in water for saturation. After saturation, the soil sample is placed in a pressure plate test apparatus. The test sample is placed on a high-air-ingress ceramic disk (Figure 17A). The ceramic disc only conducts water as long as the air pressure applied to the sample is lower than the air entry value (AEV) of the ceramic disc. The air pressure forces pore water through the water-conductive ceramic disc. Excess water is collected in a 50 ml beaker, and the mass of the beaker is periodically measured until a constant value is obtained, indicating that equilibrium has been achieved. At equilibrium, the air pressure corresponds to the matrix suction value, and the water content of the sample is determined after the test (Figure 17B).

[0076] The relationship between water content and suction in SWCC is sensitive to the pore size distribution of the material and indicates how the volumetric water content of the material changes as suction increases or decreases. Smaller pore sizes correspond to higher air entry values ​​(AEV), indicating that it is more difficult for air to penetrate into the pores. As shown in Figure 7, the desorption curve (drying path) begins with an initially saturated sample until the sample reaches a residual condition with increasing suction. The initial saturated volumetric water content at low suction is the same as the porosity because all air in the sample has been replaced with water. The air entry value (AEV) is the suction value at which the sample first begins to desaturate. The final residual water content corresponds to the small amount of water held within the soil pores with no escape route. The adsorption curve (wetting path) begins with an initially dry sample until the sample becomes saturated with decreasing suction. The water entry value is the suction value at which water can first enter the sample. There is some hysteresis between the two curves. This is due to the fact that during drying, large pores are evacuated first, followed by small pores. However, the order is reversed upon wetting because the larger pores prevent some of the smaller pores from filling, trapping air and creating a hysteresis that prevents complete saturation.

[0077] To measure the geosynthetic water characteristic curve (GWCC) (see Figure 8 ), which defines the relationship between moisture and suction in a geotextile, three conventional tests are carried out, including a capillary rise test to determine the WRC in the low suction range (≤10 kPa), a pressure plate test to determine the WRC in the intermediate suction range (10 kPa–1500 kPa), and a salt concentration test to determine the WRC in the high suction range (>1500 kPa).

[0078] Figure 18A shows the test setup for the capillary rise test. The geotextile sample was cut into 0.1 m wide by 1.0 m long strips and saturated before testing. The entire sample was covered with plastic wrap to minimize water loss due to evaporation. One end of the sample was immersed in a water reservoir, with the water surface considered as the datum plane. Meanwhile, the other end of the sample was suspended vertically above the reservoir, and a ruler was also suspended parallel to the side of the sample to determine the sample rise. Water within the test specimen flows downward under the influence of gravity. Pore water pressure below the datum plane is positive, and pore water pressure above the datum plane is negative. At steady state, the pore water pressure is linearly distributed vertically, as expressed by the following equation:

number

number

number

[0079] Figure 19 shows the test setup for the pressure plate test. A saturated geotextile sample is sandwiched between two pieces of acrylic substrate, and a clamp is used to hold the sample upright and secure it in place. A thin layer of soil slurry (kaolinite:water = 1:2 by weight) is then coated on the bottom of the sample to ensure good contact area between the sample and the ceramic disc. Note that the soil slurry should not be too thick to prevent water flow, nor too thin to allow it to run off. The soil slurry layer ensures a continuous liquid water flow path, and excess pore water can be freely extruded from the sample when regulated air pressure is applied. Excess water is drained from the system into a 50 ml beaker, and the mass of the water is continuously measured until a constant value is obtained. At equilibrium, the bottom of the sample is contaminated and cut. The top of the sample is used to determine the water content.

[0080] Figure 20 shows the test apparatus for the salt concentration test. A controlled relative humidity environment is used to establish a constant total suction. Pore water within the sample evaporates and reaches equilibrium with the surrounding vapor pressure. The relative humidity is controlled by the salt concentration in the MgCl2 solute. The relationship between concentration and corresponding suction is shown in Table 1 below, according to the Lord Kelvin equation (see Fredlund, D.G. et al., "Predicting the permeability function for unsaturated soils using the soil-water characteristic curve," Can. Geotech J. 31. 533-546 (1994)). Six glass bottles were filled with solutes of different salt concentrations, with corresponding suction values ​​ranging from 1303 kPa to 14554 kPa. Saturated samples were placed in tin foil sample holders with punched holes in the bottom to reduce the time required to reach equilibrium. After the samples were placed in the bottles, electrical tape was used to seal the bottles. Equilibrium took approximately seven days to be reached, and the water content of the samples was determined after testing. Considering the suction value and the corresponding water content, the WRC for high suction levels can be determined. [Table 1]

[0081] Figure 7 shows the SWCC of clay, sand, silt, granule-based, and GWCC for a non-wicking geotextile with wicking yarns and a moisture-management geotextile (MMG). The GWCC of the non-wicking geotextile was similar to that of the sand. The non-wicking geotextile had an AEV of 0.5 kPa, and its water content decreased dramatically as the suction increased from 0.0 kPa to 1.5 kPa. When the suction exceeded the AEV, most of the pores in the non-wicking geotextile were occupied by air, and the geotextile acted as a capillary barrier, preventing water from passing through.

[0082] In comparison, the GWCC of wicking geotextiles (MMG) exhibits a much stronger ability to retain water under saturated conditions. The GWCC of wicking geotextiles has a bimodal shape that can be explained by two sets of regression parameters, resulting in two AEVs: the middle yarn AEV and the inner yarn AEV. These parameters arise from the presence of wicking fibers in the in-plane direction. The middle yarn air entry value (AEV) of wicking loop geotextiles is 1.1 kPa and is primarily controlled by the relatively large pores between the woven polyethylene yarns. In fact, the middle yarn AEV of wicking geotextiles is similar to that of non-wicking geotextiles, and when the suction exceeds 1.1 kPa, air can easily enter the pores of the woven yarns. In other words, wicking geotextiles function as a capillary barrier in the cross-plane direction. However, the unique feature of wicking geotextiles is the specifically designed wicking fibers in the in-plane direction. The inner yarn AEV of the wicking geotextile was 254.0 kPa, which was primarily controlled by the size of the openings within the deep grooves of the wicking geotextile. The deep grooves within the fibers remained saturated and could function as water flow channels under unsaturated conditions. When the suction exceeded the inner yarn AEV, the deep grooves became unsaturated, and the wicking geotextile's ability to transport water was expected to decrease significantly. Therefore, the theoretical functional suction range of the wicking geotextile was 0 to 254 kPa. In summary, the wicking geotextile had relatively strong lateral drainage capacity in the in-plane direction compared to non-wicking geotextiles.

[0083] The ability of a geomaterial to transport water under unsaturated conditions can be described by its hydraulic conductivity, or K-function. Figure 8 shows a graph of the relationship between hydraulic conductivity and suction (also called the K-function) for clay, a nonwoven geotextile, and a wicking geotextile. The K-function provides a measure of the increase in impedance to water flow with increasing water content. Near saturation, the coarse material (geotextile) has a relatively higher hydraulic conductivity than the fine material (clay). The intersection of the curves is the capillary break-in point between the clay and each of the geotextiles, or the suction through which water moves between them.

[0084] For comparison, the left side of Figure 8 also shows the soil water characteristic curve (SWCC, volumetric water content (%)) of the clay soil, which relates to the water content in the soil at different soil suction values. To determine the capillary breakthrough point between the clay soil and the geotextile (wicking or nonwoven), first determine the soil suction at the break-in between the materials, for example, between the clay soil and the nonwoven, or between the clay soil and the wicking geotextile. This is the soil suction where both K-function curves intersect with each other. For the clay / nonwoven intersection, the suction is approximately 1.2 kPa. For the clay / wicking geotextile intersection, the suction is approximately 10 kPa. Next, determine the water content in the clay soil at these specific soil suction values ​​(rear left of Figure 8), which is the capillary breakthrough point in the clay soil. The clay water content at 1.2 kPa is 42%, which is therefore the break-in water content in the clay nonwoven. The clay moisture content at 10 kPa was 30%, which is the break-in moisture content in the clay wicking geotextile.

[0085] Wicking geotextiles actually continuously draw moisture from the soil they come into contact with. The wicking yarns in wicking geotextiles are inherently hygroscopic, and therefore draw moisture but must move it without storing it. Wicking fibers are hygroscopic due to their polymer content, but their structure provides capillary action and permanent suction, which occurs most critically in unsaturated conditions. In saturated conditions, water runs off, and free water initially pools, but eventually evaporates out of the soil. Thus, while wicking yarns exist to provide moisture extraction and movement, the best and most preferred "system" is one that is optimized to do so with minimal interference. Wicking geotextiles with wicking yarns are effective but not optimized. However, the wicking loop fabrics described herein provide the desired extraction and movement, as well as the least tortuous path for water to travel in and out of the soil.

[0086] Figure 8 shows that various soil media retain moisture with high variability. Sand has poor retention and actually acts like a drainage channel. On the other hand, highly plastic clays retain more moisture and for longer periods of time. When sand, clay, and various fabrics are compared to wicking loop fabrics, the loop structure slightly improves the ability to move moisture out of the system in a shorter time, lowering the soil's volumetric water content and making the soil stiffer and with a higher elastic modulus. The foregoing promotes the soil's ability to return to equilibrium at a faster rate and to stay in place rather than sliding.

[0087] The geotextiles described herein, with alternating wicking loops between the faces of the geotextile, improve the K function of the geotextile, resulting in capillary break-in at lower water contents. The hydraulic conductivity of materials with relatively large pores decreases faster than those with smaller pores. As shown, a suction of approximately 1.5 kPa is the capillary break-in point for clay moisture into nonwoven geotextiles.

[0088] Traditional methods used to define the K-function can be expensive, time-consuming, and error-prone due to experimental problems involved in controlling water flow through unsaturated geomaterials. Therefore, the K-function is often predicted based on information obtained using theoretical derivations based on measured SWCC and GWCC. The K-function can be predicted using the method described in Fredlund et al., "Predicting the permeability function for unsaturated soils using the soil-water characteristic curve," Can. Geotech J. 31, 533-546 (1994).

[0089] Based on the fact that both the permeability function and SWCC are primarily determined by the soil's pore size distribution, a statistical model has been proposed to determine the permeability function of unsaturated soils using the SWCC. The calculation is performed by dividing the relationship between volumetric water content and suction into m equal water content increments. Each water content midpoint corresponds to a specific matrix suction. Starting from point 1, the permeability function can be predicted according to the following equation:

number

[0090] The geotextile has high matrix suction, drawing moisture from the surrounding soil, and favorable wettability, allowing for rapid water breakdown into the fabric. The ultra-wicking yarns within the fabric create an instantly wettable filtering geotextile, as measured by contact angle. When a water droplet is placed on the wicking yarn surface, the contact angle with the fabric surface is significantly smaller than other geotextiles. The water droplet essentially immediately migrates through the fabric when placed on the wicking yarn. According to one or more embodiments, the contact angle of a 2-microliter water droplet on the first surface of the geotextile is 55 degrees or less after 0.1 microseconds.

[0091] In some embodiments, the geotextile fabric is treated by calendering or lamination. In other embodiments, the geotextile fabric is a calendered geotextile or a laminated geotextile. Unexpectedly, calendering the geotextile fabric improves its wettability. [Example]

[0092] Example 1 A uniaxial wicking loop fabric (e.g., having wicking yarns in one direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction, as shown in Figure 1A) and a biaxial wicking loop fabric (e.g., having wicking yarns in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, as shown in Figure 2A), designated FWL-T1, were formed using the yarn and weave parameters in Tables 2 and 3 below. [Table 2] [Table 3]

[0093] Example 2 The water flow of wicking loop geotextiles and those without wicking loops was compared using a rapid dewatering test (RDT) funnel test. HP665 (GT500) is a 2 / 2 twill double pick weave with monofilament warp yarns and fibrillated tape fill yarns. FW409 is a 100% monofilament warp and fill fabric. FWL-T2 is the biaxial wicking loop fabric described above in Example 1, in which wicking loops were added to the FW409 base fabric.

[0094] The fabric was placed at the bottom of the RDT funnel and placed in a beaker. The slurry had an initial solids content of 35.6%. Wet soil samples from the creek were formed into filter cakes on each piece of fabric in the funnel, and water accumulated in the beaker over time by flowing through the fabric was measured. The accumulation of clear water in the beaker represented the difference between water dripping from the RDT funnel into the beaker and water loss from the beaker due to evaporation through the small gaps in the beaker's mouth and the RDT funnel.

[0095] Table 4 and Figure 9 show the results of the RDT test. As shown, more water crossed and passed through the wicking loop fabric (FWL-T2) compared to the other fabrics throughout the 7-day period measured.

[0096] FIG. 10 shows a graph of the differential water drainage (grams) of the FWL-T2 wicking loop fabric of the present invention and FW409 relative to HP665.

[0097] As shown, the dewatering performance of FWL-T2 appears to be superior to that of both HP665 (GT500) and FW409. The addition of wicking loops linked to the base fabric of FW409 improved dewatering performance in the following ways: The time it took for the filter cake to stabilize was reduced from 34 minutes for FW409 to 5 minutes for FWL-T2, indicating that the wicking loops drew water from the slurry more quickly and helped solidify the filter cake formation. During the wet soil stage, the dewatering rate of FWL-T2 was faster than that of FW409, indicating that the wicking loops contributed to the dewatering process. Furthermore, during the drier soil stage, when soil suction is expected to be important, evaporation began to reduce the weight of the water in the beaker, suggesting that little or no water dripped from the RDT funnel. However, this reduction was smaller for FWL-T2, indicating that the wicking loops were still absorbing water from the soil above during this drier soil stage. [Table 4]

[0098] Example 3 Infiltration soil column tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the FWL-T1 and FWL-T2 wicking loop geotextiles compared to a conventional geotextile (i.e., RS380i without wicking loops). The setup included a 19.7-centimeter diameter acrylic column containing 32 centimeters of Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) soil packed into lifts of 2 and 3 centimeters thick. The geotextile was underlain by 17 centimeters of the same soil, with 15 centimeters of RMA soil. Three moisture sensors were set 2, 8, and 13 centimeters above the geotextile, and one moisture sensor was placed 2 centimeters below the geotextile. Figure 11 shows the setup used.

[0099] The soil column model constructed in this test program was 1.47 g / cm 3 The soil column was constructed with an initial weight moisture content of 10% and a relative compaction of 77.2%, corresponding to a dry density of 91.81 pcf. The following steps were followed to construct the soil column setup. First, filter paper was placed before starting to place the soil to avoid clogging. Then, five 3-cm-thick lifts of soil were constructed by placing the corresponding weight of soil and compacting it. An initial moisture sensor (designated M1) was placed, and a 2-cm-thick lift of soil was placed on top of the sensor. The geotextile was then carefully placed between two acrylic cylinders. One 2-cm lift, three 3-cm lifts, and two 2-cm lifts were then placed on top of the geotextile. Moisture sensors were installed between the lifts at 2, 8, and 13 cm from the geotextile (M2, M3, and M4, respectively). Table 5 shows the calculations used to estimate the required soil weight per lift. Once the soil was placed in the soil column, filter paper was placed on top of the soil layer and the top of the column was sealed with plastic. A low-flow peristaltic pump was then used to deliver a uniform flow rate to the soil column. The pump was calibrated to impose a flow rate of 0.45 mL / min. Additionally, at the start of the test, the LabView code in the tipping bucket below the soil column was started to measure runoff. [Table 5]

[0100] Three soil column tests were performed. The geotextiles tested were RS380i (control, no wicking loop), FWL-T1, and FWL-T2. The results of the three column tests are shown in Figure 12 (RS380i control), Figure 13 (FWL-T1 uniaxial wicking), and Figure 14 (FWL-T2 biaxial wicking). A change in water content in the sensor immediately above the geotextile (sensor M2) was identified, as well as a change in water content indicating breakthrough (sensor M1). From these two values, a parameter identified as "flow delta" was determined. The end of the test was reached when the water content stabilized and water collected in the tipping bucket (where runoff was detected).

[0101] Table 6 summarizes the test characteristics and results of the three soil column tests. The flow delta in the soil column constructed using RS380i formed a relatively significant capillary barrier, 5.3 times higher than that obtained for the soil column using FWL geotextiles. Additionally, the soil columns using FWL-T1 and FWL-T2 stored approximately 577.8 mL and 620.1 mL of inflow, respectively, and had similar flow deltas (213 and 208 mL). This similarity in flow delta reflected similar behavior due to unimpeded cross-plane flow (anti-capillary barrier), i.e., flow was applied perpendicular to the geotextiles. [Table 6]

[0102] The volumetric water content retained before breakthrough was 5-9%. In terms of time, it takes approximately 1300 minutes for the FWL geotextile soil column to reach breakthrough. Based on the information presented in Table 7, it can be concluded that the RS380i geotextile tile produced a relatively strong capillary barrier with a relatively high water storage within the clay before breakthrough.

[0103] The geotextiles for FWL-1 and FWL-2 were cross-plane reinforced drainage (CPED) geotextiles. Water accumulation was observed after breakthrough, which may indicate that the column's 0.45 ml / min impingement flow may be greater than the magnitude of the cross-plane flow that can be conducted unimpeded through the geotextile. It was expected that a higher frequency of "wicking" yarns in the FWL product would result in greater unimpeded flow (or conversely, the current yarn frequency was well suited to the smaller impingement flow rate).

[0104] Using an experimental soil column model, three different capillary barrier setups were tested to observe the formation of capillary barriers. Columns were prepared using unsaturated silty clay from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Two prototype products (FWL geotextiles) produced similar results, indicating that they are CPED geotextiles, and the magnitude of unimpeded flow may be controlled by the number of "wicking" threads per unit area. As expected, the control (RS580i) geotextile formed a relatively strong capillary barrier.

[0105] Example 4 The contact angle formed by a water droplet on the fabric surface was measured over time. Water droplets were placed on wicking and non-wicking fibers to compare their ability to draw water from the surrounding soil and matrix suction, which indicates wettability, which indicates the ability of water to rapidly disrupt the fabric structure.

[0106] Figure 15 shows the results of the contact angle change (in degrees) over time for 2 microliter and 5 microliter water droplets on the wicking fibers of the wicking geotextile (WG) and the control geotextile (CG). As shown, the wicking yarns within the fabric produced an instantly wettable filtering geotextile as measured by contact angle, demonstrating the utility of the wicking loop yarns within the geotextile for use in transporting water across the plane of the fabric.

[0107] Example 5 The geotextiles with wicking loops were calendered. The uncalendered fabric is shown on the left side of Figure 16, and the calendered fabric is shown on the right side of Figure 16. A drop of water was placed on the fabric and collected underneath to test the effect of calendering on the water's ability to drain through the fabric. As shown, calendering resulted in tightening of the wicking yarn loops, allowing water to spread more easily within the fabric, which surprisingly improved wettability. Table 7 shows the effect of calendering. The FWL402 D-T1 and FWL700 D-T1 fabrics contain wicking loops, while the FW700 does not. [Table 7]

[0108] Example 6 Figures 21A and 21B show the difference in water transport through 100% monofilament warp and filled yarn fabrics (Figure 21A), and a biaxial wicking loop fabric made from the same base fabric but with additional wicking loop yarns added. Even after adding 15 drops of water from a dropper, no pool of water penetrated the fabric (Figure 21A). However, when wicking loops were added to the same fabric, a single water droplet was instantly transported through the fabric via the wicking loops (Figure 21B).

[0109] Example 7 Capillary barrier and breakthrough tests were performed on various fabrics. 180N, HP570, and RS580i are nonwovens without wicking yarns. H2Ri and FW402 are nonwovens with multi-global wicking yarns (no loops). FW L is the same as FW402 but includes a loop. As shown, the addition of the wicking loop reduces the soil saturation level at capillary breakthrough (72.2% for FW402 compared to 72.2% for FW402). L 59.1% for FW402, and time to capillary breakthrough (1500 min for FW402 compared to 59.1% for FW402) LThe time required for the ion exchange reaction (1250 min) is significantly reduced. [Table 8]

[0110] The compositions, methods, and articles may alternatively comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of any suitable material, step, or component disclosed herein. The compositions, methods, and articles may additionally or alternatively be formulated to be devoid of, or substantially free of, any material (or species), step, or component that is not necessary to achieve the function or purpose of the compositions, methods, and articles.

[0111] All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other (e.g., the range "up to 25 wt.%, or more specifically, 5 wt.% to 20 wt.%" includes the endpoints and all intermediate values ​​in the "5 wt.% to 25 wt.%" range, etc.). "Combinations" include blends, mixtures, alloys, reaction products, and the like. The terms "first," "second," and the like do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms "a," "an," and "the" do not imply a limitation of quantity and should be construed to cover both the singular and the plural unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. "Or" means "and / or" unless expressly stated otherwise. As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," "involving," and the like, shall be understood to mean open-ended, i.e., "including," unless otherwise specified. As used herein, "about" or "approximately" includes stated values ​​and means within an acceptable range of deviation from a particular value determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account the measurement of the problem and the error (i.e., limitations of the measurement system) associated with measuring the particular quantity. For example, "about" can mean within one or more standard deviations, or within ±10% or ±5% of the stated value. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as"), is intended merely to better illustrate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention as used herein.

[0112] Throughout this specification, references to "an aspect," "an embodiment," etc. mean that a particular element described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment described herein and may or may not be present in other embodiments. In addition, it is to be understood that the described elements may be combined in any suitable manner in the various embodiments. "Combination thereof" is open and includes any combination that includes at least one of the listed components or features, optionally together with similar or equivalent components or features.

[0113] Various embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the associated drawings. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention. While various connections and relationships (e.g., above, below, adjacent, etc.) are described between elements in the following description and drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that many of the relationships described herein are orientation-independent, as the described functionality is maintained even when the orientation is changed. These connections and / or relationships may be direct or indirect, unless otherwise specified, and the present invention is not intended to be limited in this respect. Thus, a connection of entities may refer to either a direct or indirect connection, and a relationship between entities may be a direct or indirect relationship. As an example of an indirect relationship, a reference herein to layer "A" on layer "B" includes a situation in which one or more intermediate layers (e.g., layer "C") are between layer "A" and layer "B," so long as the associated properties and functions of layer "A" and layer "B" are not substantially altered by the intermediate layers.

[0114] The following definitions and abbreviations should be used in interpreting the claims and the specification. As used herein, the terms "comprise," "comprising," "include," "including," "has," "having," "contain," or "containing," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or device that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or device.

[0115] Additionally, the term "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. The terms "at least one" and "one or more" are understood to include any integer number greater than or equal to one, i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The term "a plurality" is understood to include any integer number greater than or equal to two, i.e., 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. The term "connection" may include an indirect "connection" and a direct "connection."

[0116] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc. indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but that all embodiments may or may not include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the understanding of those skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0117] For purposes of the following description, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” and their derivatives, refer to the structures and methods described as oriented in the drawings. The terms “overlying,” “atop,” “on top,” “positioned on,” or “positioned atop” mean that a first element, such as a first structure, is on a second element, such as a second structure, where intervening elements, such as interfacial structures, may be present between the first and second elements. The term “direct contact” means that a first element, such as a first structure, and a second element, such as a second structure, are connected without any intermediate conductive, insulating, or semiconducting layer at the interface of the two elements.

[0118] The terms "about," "substantially," "approximately," and variations thereof are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based on the equipment available at the time of filing. For example, "about" can include a range of ±8%, or 5%, or 2% of a given value.

[0119] Corresponding structure, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step-plus-function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing a function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles and practical application of the invention, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention in various embodiments with various modifications suited to the particular uses intended.

[0120] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the following claims, which should be interpreted to maintain appropriate protection for the invention as originally described.

Claims

1. A geotextile fabric, comprising: a first weft yarn woven in the horizontal direction; 1. A geotextile fabric comprising first and second warp yarns woven in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first warp yarns are wicking yarns and the second warp yarns are wicking or non-wicking yarns, and wherein the first warp yarns form first loops, which are woven through a first surface of the geotextile fabric and extend therefrom across at least two of the first weft yarns to form a first gap between the first loop and the first surface of the geotextile fabric.

2. A geotextile fabric, comprising: first cross-machine direction yarns disposed at respective angles relative to the machine direction; a first machine direction yarn and a second machine direction yarn in the machine direction, wherein the first machine direction yarn is a wicking yarn and the second machine direction yarn is a wicking yarn or a non-wicking yarn, and the first machine direction yarn forms a first loop, the first loop being sewn into the geotextile fabric and extending from a first surface of the geotextile fabric across at least two of the first cross-machine direction yarns to form a first gap between the first loop and the first surface of the geotextile fabric.

3. 2. The geotextile fabric of claim 1, wherein the first gap formed between the first loop and the first surface of the geotextile fabric is at least 0.25 millimeters, or from about 10 to about 50 millimeters.

4. the first warp yarns forming the first loops are interwoven at intervals less frequent than the second warp yarns; The first warp yarn also forms a second loop, and the second loop extends from a second surface of the geotextile fabric across at least two of the weft yarns to form a second gap between the second loop and the second surface of the geotextile fabric; the first loop has a different length than the second loop; or any combination thereof.

5. the first warp yarns have a multi-channel cross-sectional shape, a multilobal cross-sectional shape, a delta cross-sectional shape, a trilobal cross-sectional shape, a pillow cross-sectional shape, or a circular cross-sectional shape; the second warp yarn is a flat monofilament, a round monofilament, an oval monofilament, a fibrillated tape, a non-fibrillated tape, a continuous filament, a spun yarn, or a multi-channel yarn; or a combination thereof.

6. wherein, independently, the first warp yarns, the first weft yarns, and the second warp yarns each comprise a synthetic material, a natural material, or a combination thereof; and optionally, the synthetic material is a polyolefin, a polyamide, a polyimide, or a combination thereof; the synthetic material is polyester; the natural material is cotton, wool, flax, or a combination thereof; or any combination thereof.

7. 2. The geotextile of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first weft yarns and the second warp yarns has a multichannel cross-sectional shape, a multilobal cross-sectional shape, a delta cross-sectional shape, a trilobal cross-sectional shape, a pillow cross-sectional shape, or a circular cross-sectional shape.

8. 10. The geotextile fabric of claim 1, wherein the first warp yarns are textured, are bundles of fibers, each fiber having a denier of from about 0.1 denier to about 100 denier, or a combination thereof.

9. The first weft yarn is a wicking yarn or a non-wicking yarn, The second warp yarn is a wicking yarn, or a combination thereof.

10. The geotextile fabric further comprises a second weft yarn woven in the horizontal direction; the contact angle of a 2 microliter water droplet on the first surface of the woven geotextile is 55 degrees or less after 0.1 microseconds; the wicking yarn has a breakthrough suction of at least 50 kPa; or any combination thereof.

11. the geotextile fabric is sewn to a dewatering bag or geotube, and optionally 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 1 or 2, wherein the dewatering bags or geotubes contain rare earth elements, acid mine sludge, or a combination thereof.

12. The dewatering bag or geotube is disposed on a drainage layer or drainage gravel layer, and optionally on a subgrade layer; a portion of the dehydration bag or geotube is exposed to air; or a combination thereof.

13. 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 2, wherein the first cross-machine direction yarns are woven, knitted, glued, stitched, stitched, or laid at the angle relative to the machine direction.

14. 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 2, wherein the first cross-machine direction yarns and the second machine direction yarns form a scrim base fabric, and all of the first loops are on the first side of the fabric by bonding yarns.

15. the first gap formed between the first loop and the first surface of the geotextile fabric is at least 0.25 millimeters, or from about 10 to about 50 millimeters; the first machine direction yarns have a multichannel, multilobal, delta, trilobal, pillow, or round cross-sectional shape; the second machine direction yarn is a flat monofilament, a round monofilament, an oval monofilament, a fibrillated tape, a non-fibrillated tape, a continuous filament, a spun yarn, or a multichannel yarn; or a combination thereof.

16. the first machine direction yarns, the second machine direction yarns, and the first cross-machine direction yarns each independently comprise a synthetic material, a natural material, or a combination thereof; and optionally the synthetic material is a polyolefin, a polyamide, a polyimide, or a combination thereof; the synthetic material is polyester; and The method of claim 2 , wherein one or more of the following is satisfied: the natural material is cotton, wool, flax, or a combination thereof.

17. 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 2, wherein the first machine direction yarns are textured, are bundles of fibers, each fiber having a denier of from about 0.1 denier to about 100 denier, or a combination thereof.

18. 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 2, wherein the first cross-machine direction yarns are wicking yarns or non-wicking yarns, or the geotextile fabric further comprises second cross-machine direction yarns that are wicking yarns, or a combination thereof.

19. 3. The geotextile fabric of claim 2, further comprising second cross-machine direction yarns woven in the cross-machine direction.

20. 10. A method for moving water through a geotextile fabric according to claim 1, said method comprising: providing the woven geotextile fabric on a first soil or drainage layer, wherein all first warp yarns of the woven geotextile fabric weave through the woven geotextile from the first surface to the second surface to form alternating loops on the first and second surfaces of the woven geotextile fabric, each alternating loop extending across at least two of the first weft yarns to form a gap of at least 0.25 millimeters; and using the alternating loops in the geotextile fabric to move water from the first soil layer to a second soil or a second drainage layer.

Images