In a significant breakthrough for sustainable infrastructure, researchers at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) in Surathkal have successfully developed an industrially manufactured geocell made entirely from jute. This innovation, created in collaboration with the National Jute Board (NJB) and Birla Jute Mills, aims to replace conventional plastic-based geocells used extensively in construction projects across India.
The Problem with Plastic Geocells
Geocells are three-dimensional honeycomb-like structures used to reinforce soil in projects like road construction, slope stabilisation, and erosion control. They work by confining soil particles, improving load distribution and shear strength. However, the industry standard relies on geocells made from polymers like high-density polyethylene (HDPE). While durable, these materials come with a heavy environmental and economic cost: high carbon emissions, dependence on petroleum, persistent plastic waste, and microplastic pollution.
The project, funded by the National Jute Board under the Ministry of Textiles, sought to leverage India's position as the world's largest producer of jute. "Our goal was to address both affordability and sustainability by using a renewable natural fibre," explained Dr. Sreevalsa Kolathayar, Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and the project's Principal Investigator at NITK Surathkal.
From Hand-Stitched to High-Tech: The Manufacturing Leap
While jute geotextiles are common, jute-based cellular confinement products saw limited use. Earlier versions were often hand-stitched, leading to inconsistent quality and high labour costs, making them unsuitable for large-scale projects. The NITK-led team's key achievement was developing a standardised, mechanised manufacturing process that can be integrated into existing jute mill infrastructure.
The new method involves cutting jute fabric into uniform strips and assembling them into the honeycomb configuration using industrial stitching machines. This mechanised approach ensures repeatable quality, higher production throughput, and crucially, slashes production costs by nearly 80% compared to earlier methods, making it a viable, low-cost alternative.
Superior Performance in Rigorous Testing
The research team subjected the jute geocells to comprehensive laboratory and engineering tests. These included tensile strength tests, seam strength evaluation, and analysis of creep behaviour. The performance was directly compared to both unreinforced soil and conventional polymeric geocells through model plate load tests.
The results were impressive. The jute geocell demonstrated an ultimate tensile strength of approximately 15.7 kN/m, which is comparable to and sometimes exceeds that of HDPE geocells. Its surface roughness was measured to be more than ten times greater than plastic geocells, a feature that enhances soil-reinforcement interaction without needing extra perforations or chemical treatments.
Most importantly, in plate load tests, soil reinforced with the jute geocell showed up to a 120% increase in bearing capacity and a significant reduction in settlement compared to unreinforced ground.
This development promises a greener, more economical future for India's rapidly expanding infrastructure sector, particularly for resource-constrained projects like rural roads and hill slope stabilisation. By turning to a homegrown, biodegradable material, it tackles the dual challenges of cost and environmental impact head-on.
