Industry paper

How an enhanced lateral drainage geosynthetic provides resilience to civil structures

Authors: R.B. Laprade, P.Eng., and J.M. Lostumbo, P.E.

According to The Resilience Shift, infrastructure resilience is defined as the ability to withstand, adapt to changing conditions, and recover positively from shocks and stresses (The Resilience Shift, 2020). Four properties are associated with engineering resilience: (1) Robustness to withstand unforeseen demands; (2) Redundancy to tolerate the loss or damage to a component; (3) Resourcefulness to identify a problem and to respond effectively; and (4) Rapidity to restore functionality quickly. This paper will examine the contribution of a unique enhanced lateral drainage reinforcement geosynthetic (ELDRG) towards the resilience of current and future infrastructure projects, especially roadways and working surfaces. Research summaries will demonstrate how the ELDRG is incorporated in civil projects to provide separation and mechanical stabilization as well as moisture management in saturated and unsaturated conditions. We will also show how to quantify the mechanical and hydraulic benefits of this moisture management system in pavement designs.