Geosynthetic Product Information
The following manufacturers and products were included in the "Specifier's Guide for Geosynthetic Materials" published by Geosynthetics Magazine, available from the Industrial Fabric Association International Resource Center, 1801 County Road B.W., Roseville, MN 55133–4061 (800–225–4324). The recommended minimum physical properties listed are from the Forest Service's "Standard Specifications for Construction and Maintenance of Trails" (1996). The recommended physical properties are typically on the low end of those available because trails applications are much less demanding than geosynthetic applications in road construction where heavy machinery and large, angular boulders require stronger products.
This edition of "Geosynthetics for Trails in Wet Areas" does not recommend specific products. Hundreds of suitable products are available from manufacturers and even home improvement centers. Most manufacturers and geotechnical or materials engineers can help you select products if you provide details on soil and moisture conditions and expected loads (trails generally have light loads).
No prices are listed. Prices may change quickly because of changes in the price of the petroleum (the raw material). Call the listed phone numbers for current prices delivered to your area or to contact the local sales representative. Manufacturers may provide prices by the square meter, square yard, square foot, or for full rolls. Unit costs decrease as the amount ordered increases. All geosynthetic products can be cut in the field or cut by the manufacturer to meet your requirements.
| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| Belton Industries, Inc. | 800–845–8753 | www.beltonindustries.com |
| Carthage Mills | 800–543–4430 | www.carthagemills.com |
| Contech Earth Stabilization Solutions, Inc. | 866–551–8325 | www.conteches.com |
| Dalco Nonwovens | 828–459–2577 | www.dalcononwovens.com |
| Fiberweb PLC | 800–321–6271 | www.fiberweb.com |
| GSE Lining Technology, LLC | 800–435–2008 | www.gseworld.com |
| HUESKER inc. | 800–942–9418 | www.huesker.com |
| Thrace-LINQ, Inc. | 800–445–4675 | www.thracelinq.com |
| Maccaferri Inc. | 800–638–7744 | www.maccaferri-usa.com |
| Mirafi (TenCate Geosynthetics) | 800–685–9990 | www.mirafi.com |
| Propex Inc. | 800–621–1273 | www.geotextile.com |
| SKAPS Industries | 706–693–3440 | www.skaps.com |
| Vantage Partners LLC | 704–871–8700 | www.vp-geos.com |
| WEBTEC Inc. | 800–438–0027 | www.webtecgeos.com |
Critical physical properties for geotextiles used in trail construction:
- Material structure: Nonwoven
- Polymer composition: Polypropylene
- Apparent opening by ASTM D 4751–87: Less than 0.297 millimeter (mesh larger than No. 50)
- Permittivity by ASTM D4491–92: More than 4,060 liters per minute per square meter (more than 100 gallons per minute per square foot)
- Puncture strength by ASTM D4833–88: More than 0.110 kilonewton (more than 25 pounds)
- Mullen burst by ASTM D 3786–87: More than 900 kilopascals (more than 130 pounds per square inch)
- Trapezoid tear strength by ASTM D4533–91: More than 0.110 kilonewton (more than 25 pounds)
- Grab tensile at 50 percent elongation by ASTM D4632–91: More than 0.355 kilonewton (more than 80 pounds)
- Ultraviolet degradation: More than 70 percent retained strength at 150 hours
Notes: The products that work best for trail applications typically are the nonwoven, felt-like materials that are easier to work with rather than heat-bonded or slit-film products that have a slick surface. Physical property requirements are minimum average roll values where applicable. Compare your desired widths with standard roll widths and consult with manufacturers when deciding whether it's best to cut the fabric in the field or have the manufacturer cut it.
Geonets| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| Agru America, Inc. | 800–373–2478 | www.agruamerica.com |
| CETCO Lining Technologies | 800–527–9948 | www.cetco.com |
| Fiberweb PLC | 800–321–6271 | www.fiberweb.com |
| GSE Lining Technology, LLC | 800–435–2008 | www.gseworld.com |
| Poly-Flex, Inc. | 888–765–9359 | www.poly-flex.com |
| Rainy Day Water Inc. | 801–975–8915 | — |
| SKAPS Industries | 706–693–3440 | www.skaps.com |
| Tenax Corp. | 800–356–8495 | www.tenaxus.com |
Critical physical properties of geonets used in trail construction:
- Polymer composition of core (net or mesh): Medium- or high-density polyethylene.
- Geotextile: Must be attached to both sides of the core and meet or exceed the requirements of AASHTO M 288 Subsurface Drainage Class B with permeability greater than 0.0001 centimeter per second, and an apparent opening size less than 0.297 millimeter (larger than the No. 50 U.S. Standard Sieve).
- Core thickness: Thicker than 5 millimeters by ASTM D5199.
- Compressive strength of core: Stronger than 500 kilopascals by ASTM D1621.
- Transmissivity with gradient of 0.1 and pressure of 10 kilopascals: More than 0.0009 square meter per second (more than 4 gallons per minute per foot).
Notes: Discuss the roll width and length requirements for your project with manufacturers.
Geogrids| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| Carthage Mills | 800–543–4430 | www.carthagemills.com |
| Colbond Inc. | 800–365–7391 | www.colbond-usa.com |
| Contech Earth Stabilization Solutions, Inc. | 866–551–8325 | www.conteches.com |
| HUESKER inc. | 800–942–9418 | www.huesker.com |
| Linear Composites Limited | 423–987–6781 | www.linearcomposites.com |
| Maccaferri Inc. | 800–638–7744 | www.maccaferri-usa.com |
| Mirafi (TenCate Geosynthetics) | 800–685–9990 | www.mirafi.com |
| Strata Systems, Inc. | 800–680–7750 | www.geogrid.com |
| Synteen Technical Fabrics | 800–796–8336 | www.synteen.com |
| Tenax Corp. | 800–356–8495 | www.tenaxus.com |
| Tensar International Corp. | 888–836–7271 | www.tensar-international.com |
| WEBTEC Inc. | 800–438–0027 | www.webtecgeos.com |
Critical physical properties of geogrids used for trail applications:
- Polymer type: High-density polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyester with acrylic or PVC coating
- Mass per unit area by ASTM D5261–92: 175 grams per square meter (more than 5.5 ounces per square yard)
- Maximum aperture size: Machine direction (MD): 100 millimeters (4 inches). Cross direction (XD): 75 millimeters (3 inches)
- Wide-width strip tensile strength at 5-percent strain by ASTM D4595-86: Machine direction (MD): 8 kilonewtons per meter (550 pounds per foot). Cross direction (XD): 6 kilonewtons per meter (410 pounds per foot)
Notes: Specify desired product widths and lengths for the project application.
Geocells| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| Contech Earth Stabilization Solutions Inc. | 800–338–1122 | www.conteches.com |
| Geo Products LLC/Envirogrid | 800–434–4743 | www.geoproducts.org |
| Jobsite Products, Inc. | 800–298–4900 | www.jobsiteproducts.com |
| Layfield Plastics Inc. | 800–796–6868 | www.layfieldgroup.com |
| Maccaferri Inc. | 800–638–7744 | www.maccaferri-usa.com |
| Presto Products Co. | 800–548–3424 | www.prestogeo.com |
| Tenax Corp. | 800–356–8495 | www.tenaxus.com |
| WEBTEC Inc. | 800–438–0027 | www.webtecgeos.com |
Critical physical properties of geocells used for trail construction:
- Composition: Polyethylene or high-density polyethylene.
- Geocell weight expanded: Heavier than 1.7 kilograms per square meter (heavier than 50 ounces per square yard).
- Minimum cell seam peel strength by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Technical Report G:– 86–19, Appendix A: 800 newtons (180 pounds).
- Expanded dimensional properties: As specified by the designer—see the manufacturer's dimensions.
Notes: Specify the desired product widths for the project application. The 100-millimeter (4-inch) cell depth should be adequate for trails—depths from 50 to 200 millimeters (2 to 8 inches) are available. Consult manufacturers for the availability of different section widths and alteration of standard section widths to fit your project needs.
Geocomposites—Sheet Drains| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| American Wick Drain Corp. | 800–242–9425 | www.americanwick.com |
| Colbond Inc. | 800–365–7391 | www.colbond-usa.com |
| Contech Earth Stabilization Solutions Inc. | 866–551–8325 | www.conteches.com |
| Drainage Products Inc. | 860–668–5108 | www.drainaway.com |
| Fiberweb PLC | 800–321–6271 | www.fiberweb.com |
| GSE Lining Technology, LLC | 800–435–2008 | www.gseworld.com |
| JDR Enterprises, Inc. | 800–843–7569 | www.j-drain.com |
| Thrace-LINQ, Inc. | 800–445–4675 | www.thracelinq.com |
| Mirafi (TenCate Geosynthetics) | 800–685–9990 | www.mirafi.com |
| WEBTEC Inc. | 800–438–0027 | www.webtecgeos.com |
Critical physical properties of sheet drains for trail construction:
- Structure: Single- or double-dimpled core
- Core polymer composition: Polystyrene or polypropylene
- Attached geotextile: Nonwoven on one side if the core is solid, on both sides if the core is perforated. Geotextile must meet or exceed the requirements of AASHTO M 288 Subsurface Drainage Class B with permeability more than 0.0001 centimeter per second and an apparent opening size less than 0.297 millimeter (larger than the No. 50 U.S. Standard Sieve)
- Core thickness by ASTM D5199: Thicker than 10 millimeters (thicker than 0.40 inch)
- Core compressive strength at yield by ASTM D1621: More than 650 kilopascals (more than 95 pounds per square inch)
Notes: Compare desired width with standard sheet width and consult with manufacturers to learn whether the material can be cut easily in the field and how much it would cost to have it cut at the factory. Sheet drains with cores made from thicker materials usually have greater bending strength, limiting the amount of settling in soft soils and reducing the amount of fill material needed. Various core thicknesses are available.
Geo-Others—Turf Reinforcement| Manufacturer or Company | Product | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisible Structures, Inc. | Grasspave2 | 800–233–1510 | www.invisiblestructures.com |
| Norleans Technologies Inc. | Lockgrid | 613–834–9313 | www.norleanstech.com |
| Presto Products Co. | Geoblock | 800–548–3424 | www.prestogeo.com |
| TerraFirm Enterprises | EcoGrid | 866–934–7572 | www.terrafirmenterprises.com |
Erosion Control
| Manufacturer or Company | Phone Number | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| American Excelsior Co. | 800–777–7645 | www.curlex.com |
| Belton Industries, Inc. | 800–845–8753 | www.beltonindustries.com |
| Carthage Mills | 800–543–4430 | www.carthagemills.com |
| Colbond Inc. | 800–365–7391 | www.colbond-usa.com |
| Contech Earth Stabilization Solutions, Inc. | 866–551–8325 | www.conteches.com |
| East Coast Erosion Blankets | 800–582–4005 | www.erosionblankets.com |
| Fiberweb PLC | 800–321–6271 | www.fiberweb.com |
| Geo Products LLC/Envriogrid | 800–434–4743 | www.geoproducts.org |
| Maccaferri Inc. | 800–638–7744 | www.maccaferri-usa.com |
| Mirafi (TenCate Geosythetics) | 800–685–9990 | www.mirafi.com |
| North American Green | 800–772–2040 | www.nagreen.com |
| Presto Products Co. | 800–548–3424 | www.prestogeo.com |
| Profile Products LLC | 800–508–8681 | www.profileproducts.com |
| Propex Inc. | 800–621–1273 | www.geotextile.com |
| Vantage Partners LLC | 704–871–8700 | www.vp-geos.com |
| Watersaver Co. Inc. | 800–525–2424 | www.watersaver.com |
| Western Excelsior Corp. | 800–833–8573 | www.westernexcelsior.com |
