Geocomposite Systems

Overview

Geocomposites are engineered hybrid geosynthetic systems that integrate two or more geosynthetic layers into a single, multi-functional product — typically combining a three-dimensional drainage core with bonded geotextile filter layers on one or both faces. By consolidating filtration, drainage, separation, and protection into a single thin product, geocomposites replace bulky aggregate drainage blankets and trench systems while delivering equivalent or superior hydraulic performance.

Kasko Makine supplies a complete range of drainage geocomposites, clay geocomposites (GCLs), gas-collection composites, and erosion-control composites — each specified and supplied with factory test certificates, technical data sheets, and application-specific engineering support.

Composition & Structure

A typical geocomposite consists of three engineered components working together:

• Drainage Core: A three-dimensional polymer structure that transmits water and gas flow within its plane. Common core types include biplanar and triplanar geonets (HDPE), cuspated/dimpled sheets (HDPE), geospacers (polypropylene spikes or cuspates), and cylindrical-channel mats. Core thickness typically 5 mm to 25 mm; compressive strength 200 kPa to 1,500+ kPa.
• Geotextile Filter(s): Non-woven polypropylene or polyester filter bonded to one or both faces of the core. Retains fine soil particles while allowing water to pass freely into the drainage core. Filter AOS selected to match soil gradation per FHWA filter criteria.
• Bonding: Thermal lamination or ultrasonic welding creates a durable bond that survives installation handling, long-term loading, and differential movement.

Geocomposite Families

• Drainage Geocomposites: Geonet or geospacer core with geotextile filters on both faces — the workhorse product for subsurface, wall, and liner drainage applications.
• Gas Venting / Collection Composites: Textured HDPE core optimized for high-rate gas transmission, used in landfill caps, methane-collection systems, and radon-barrier installations.
• Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCL): Bentonite clay sandwiched between two geotextiles (needle-punched or stitch-bonded). Self-healing hydraulic barrier with permeability <1×10⁻¹¹ m/s — used under landfill caps, secondary containment ponds, and as liner in contaminated-site remediation.
• Erosion-Control Mats (TRMs / ECRMs): Three-dimensional polymer matrix combined with geotextile backing, sometimes pre-vegetated. Permanent slope and channel erosion protection up to 7 m/s flow velocity.
• Prefabricated Edge Drains & Strip Drains: Narrow dimpled core wrapped in geotextile — installed in trenches as a direct replacement for aggregate-filled French drains.

Engineering Applications

• Tunnel Drainage: Longitudinal and radial drainage behind primary linings; collects groundwater seepage and directs it to invert drains, preventing hydrostatic build-up on shotcrete and concrete secondary linings.
• Bridge Abutment Drainage: Full-height vertical drainage layer between approach fill and abutment wall — eliminates lateral hydrostatic loads and prevents efflorescence of concrete faces.
• Retaining Wall Back-Drainage: MSE walls, cast-in-place concrete walls, soldier-pile walls, and segmental block walls — replaces weep holes and aggregate drainage columns.
• Basement & Foundation Drainage: Perimeter drainage of basement walls, cut-and-cover structures, and below-grade podiums. Combined waterproofing protection and drainage in a single product.
• Landfill Leachate Collection: Primary drainage blanket above composite liners; gas-collection blanket below final caps.
• Pavement Edge Drains: Prefabricated strip drains in pavement shoulders — drains subsurface water faster than aggregate French drains, at 30–60% lower installed cost.
• Green Roofs & Podium Landscaping: Root-resistant drainage and water-retention layer supporting vegetation while protecting the underlying waterproofing.
• Sports Fields & Stadiums: High-capacity subsurface drainage under natural grass and synthetic turf — rapid surface drainage and consistent playing conditions.
• Mining & Heap Leach Pads: Pregnant solution collection and containment over low-permeability liners.

Technical Specifications

• Core Material: HDPE, LDPE, or Polypropylene — UV-stabilized, chemically inert
• Core Thickness: 5 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm (application-dependent)
• Compressive Strength: 200 kPa through 1,500 kPa (ISO 25619-2) — supports burial depths of 3 m to 30+ m
• Transmissivity (In-Plane Flow): 5×10⁻⁴ m²/s through 5×10⁻² m²/s @ 20 kPa confinement
• Filter AOS (O90): 0.06 mm to 0.30 mm — matched to soil gradation per FHWA filter criteria
• Water Permeability of Filter: ≥ 50 L/m²·s per EN ISO 11058
• Temperature Range: −40°C to +80°C continuous service
• UV Resistance: ≥ 70% strength retention after 500 hrs (EN ISO 12224 / ASTM D4355)
• Chemical Resistance: Stable pH 2–13; resistant to hydrocarbons, salts, leachate, and microbial attack per EN 14030 / EN 12225
• Roll Dimensions: Widths 1 m, 2 m, 2.4 m, 4 m; lengths 25 m to 75 m per roll

Standards & Compliance

• EN ISO 12958 — Water flow capacity in the plane
• ISO 25619-2 — Compression creep test
• EN ISO 10319 — Wide-width tensile
• EN ISO 11058 — Filter permeability
• EN ISO 12956 — Filter opening size (O90)
• ASTM D4716 — Constant head hydraulic transmissivity
• ASTM D6364 — Compression creep reduction factor
• ASTM D5261 — Mass per unit area
• CE marking per EN 13252, EN 13265, EN 13361, EN 13493 (drainage, containment, reservoirs, solid waste)
• BBA (British Board of Agrément) and DIBt (German) approvals available for key product lines

Efficiency & Cost Advantages

• Installation Speed: 3–5× faster than aggregate drainage blankets — single-layer roll-out vs. multi-lift excavation, placement, and compaction of graded gravel
• Space Savings: 10 mm geocomposite replaces 200–300 mm of aggregate drainage — enables thinner walls, smaller excavations, and more usable building footprint
• Load-Carrying Capacity: Maintains ≥80% of initial transmissivity under 500 kPa sustained load for 100+ years (certified creep data available)
• Consistent Performance: Factory-controlled product eliminates filter-criteria failures and clogging common to field-graded aggregates
• Reduced Trucking & Embodied Carbon: 20–40 m² of geocomposite per truckload replaces 20+ truckloads of aggregate — significant cost and CO₂ savings
• Lower Labour Cost: Installed by two-person crews with hand tools — no heavy plant required

Durability

• Chemical Resistance: Unaffected by aggressive soils, acid-generating mine waste, hydrocarbons, and landfill leachate
• Biological Resistance: Inert to soil bacteria, fungi, roots, insects, and rodents over indefinite service life
• Long-Term Performance: Design life of 100+ years at typical burial temperatures verified by accelerated creep and oxidation testing
• Freeze-Thaw Stable: Core geometry and filter bonding retained through unlimited freeze-thaw cycles

Installation Guidelines

• Subgrade or wall face must be free of sharp protrusions and debris — smooth within ±25 mm tolerance
• Unroll geocomposite with filter face oriented toward soil side; core on clean wall or drainage side
• Overlap adjacent rolls by 100–150 mm (horizontal seams) or 200 mm (vertical wall applications)
• Fix to vertical walls with geocomposite-compatible fasteners, adhesives, or profile strips — avoid puncturing geotextile filter
• Protect exposed edges from soil intrusion during backfill — overlap or wrap geotextile tail
• Place backfill in 200–300 mm lifts — avoid direct tracking of loaded vehicles on unprotected product
• Connect to outlet pipe or drainage layer — verify continuous flow path to discharge point

Industries Served

• Tunnel and underground construction contractors
• Bridge and highway authorities
• Building foundation and basement waterproofing specialists
• Landfill and environmental engineering firms
• Mining and heap-leach pad operators
• Dam, canal, and reservoir builders
• Green roof, podium, and urban landscape specialists
• Sports infrastructure — FIFA/UEFA-grade fields, stadiums, and training complexes
• MSE wall and reinforced-slope contractors

Engineering Support

Our team provides project-specific drainage design assistance — including transmissivity sizing per Darcy's law, long-term design value calculations (RF_CR × RF_IN × RF_CC × RF_BC), filter-criteria verification for site soils, and integration with waterproofing membranes and primary liners. We work with design consultants, EPC contractors, and specifier engineers from concept through specification, submittal review, and site delivery.

Why Choose Kasko Makine Geocomposites

All products are sourced from accredited European and North American manufacturers with verified long-term performance data — not uncertified commodity products. Every delivery includes factory QA test certificates, batch-level traceability, BBA / DIBt / CE certification where applicable, and technical installation guidance. Warehouse stocking in Istanbul enables fast project turnaround across Türkiye, with project-logistics support for Azerbaijan, Georgia, Egypt, and Russia deliveries.

Ordering & Availability

Standard drainage geocomposites (6 mm and 10 mm cores) stocked for immediate dispatch. Specialty products — GCLs, gas-venting composites, erosion-control mats, and high-capacity wall drainage — supplied on 2–4 week lead times. Contact our engineering team with your project specifications — soil type, hydrostatic head, design loads, and application — for a tailored product recommendation, installation drawings, and project-volume pricing.