Neoloy Tough-Cells® Stabilize Inherently Unstable Clay
Neoloy Tough-Cells unique reinforcement factors enable exceptional soil stabilization in soft clay subgrades in roads, railways and foundations
Soft clay subgrades present significant challenges. They are characterized by low CBR (1%-5%), high plasticity (moisture-sensitive and not homogenous), and difficult to compact when wet. Additionally, they experience behavioral changes in dry and wet seasons and potential expansion, further compromising stability. Additionally, their low shear strength makes them vulnerable to traffic loads. These lead to problems such as:
- Bearing Capacity Failure: Weak clay subgrade can fail in shear, causing the road surface to crack and collapse.
- Excessive Rutting: Cyclical traffic loads on weak clay subgrade accumulate differential settlement, leading to rutting on the road surface.
- Overall Pavement Instability: Weak clay subgrade can become uneven and lose its capacity to support traffic, compromising the overall stability of the pavemen.
Neoloy Tough-Cells: The Technology for Weak Clay Subgrades
PRS Neoloy Tough-Cells unique improvement factors are ideal for overcoming the challenges of roads built on weak clay subgrades. Neoloy is made from a Novel Polymer Alloy (NPA), with performance and properties validated in research and in the field and that meet the requirements of international geocell standards:
- Beam Effect: The rigid Neoloy cellular confinement creates a beam effect, distributing loads more widely across road support layers and reducing vertical stresses.
- Strength and Stiffness: Neoloy Tough-Cells unique subgrade, modulus and bearing capacity improvement factors stabilize the clay subgrade, increase bearing capacity and reduce settlement. This translates to a more stable and durable road surface.
- Confinement and Lateral Restraint: The NPA Tough-Cells high tensile properties (>16 kN/m) confine the clay particles, preventing them from moving and creating voids to reduce the impact of moisture fluctuations and minimize cracking.
- Improved Drainage: Neoloy Tough-Cells allow for improved drainage within the subgrade, preventing water from accumulating and weakening the clay.
- More cost effective than over-designed/heavily engineered solutions
- Effective solution validated in lab and field tests worldwide
- Increased layer Modulus Improvement Factor (MIF)
- Very strong ROI from reduced maintenance, repairs
- Working layer created on weak subgrade
- Increased CBR
- Wider distribution of and reduced vertical stresses to subgrade
- Aggregate Interlock of grid restrains subgrade contraction cracks from reflecting up to pavement
- Eliminate need for subgrade removal / processing
- High modulus, confined granular layer creates a continuous beam
- Composite semi-rigid platform separates pavement from problematic subgrade
- Reduced vertical stresses to granular layers by up to 50%
- Decrease differential settlement and heaving
Benefits of Using Neoloy Tough-Cells for Weak Clay Subgrades
- Reduced Construction Costs: Neoloy Tough-Cells’ improvement factors eliminate the need for expensive soil removal and replacement, leading to significant cost savings.
- Faster Construction Times: Reduction of layer thickness (up to 70%) with no reduction in strength or performance eliminates build layers (typically 20 cm). This leads to faster completion of road construction projects.
- Lower Maintenance Needs: The improved stability and reduced cracking of Neoloy-reinforced roads lead to a significant decrease in maintenance requirements. Less frequent maintenance translates to lower overall road ownership costs.
- Long-Term Performance: Neoloy Tough-Cells high resistance to degradation (<2-3% over project life) and proven track record of delivering long-lasting performance, even under heavy traffic loads, guarantee a durable road surface for years to come.
Mitigating Expansive Clay Soils
For expansive clay soils prone to significant volume changes due to moisture variations, PRS offers a hybrid Neoloy Tough-Cell solution. This combines the benefits of Neoloy with additional geosynthetics to create an even more robust and effective stabilization system.
Read more about the Neoloy Tough-Cell hybrid solution for expansive clay subgrades