Polymer question

Geosynthetics | October 2007

GMA techline answers from Bob Koerner

Subject: Polymer question— I would like to know if you can tell me which polymer is better to make nonwoven geotextiles, polyester or polypropylene? My problem is that I have to choose between two geotextiles with the same properties but with different polymers. (Ingrid, Honduras)

Reply: Technically, each polymer has advantages and disadvantages. In the past, there was a great deal of controversy on the subject. Currently, however, polypropylene fibers (hence, geotextiles) have essentially taken over the geotextile market. One can hardly buy PET geotextiles in the U.S. today. The reasons are lower resin costs and lower specific gravity, thus you get greater coverage per unit area of PP geotextile.

We can provide more technical details, but, practically, the geotextile market is one of PP-resin fibers.

Robert M. Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., NAE, robert.koerner@coe.drexel.edu.

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