Neoloy 3D Confinement Offers Superior and Sustainable Reinforcement
Use sand, marginal and recycled materials to achieve higher confinement and modulus improvement than with geogrids
Neoloy Tough-Cells and geogrids are both reinforcement geosynthetics, but they offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. This comparison will highlight the key differences to help you select the optimal solution for your project.
Superior Stabilization with 3D Confinement
Neoloy Tough-Cells are a revolutionary 3D honeycomb structure designed to excel in soil stabilization. Their key advantage lies in the three-dimensional confinement they provide, unlike the 2D tensioned membrane mechanism of geogrids.
- Enhanced Stability: The 100-200 mm high cell walls create a robust confinement zone, restraining internal forces and minimizing lateral soil movement. This translates to significantly improved stability of soft subgrades.
- Beam-Slab Effect: Neoloy Tough-Cells act as a reinforced “beam (slab),” enhancing the overall stiffness (modulus) of pavement layers. Load distribution is improved and deformation is minimized throughout the project lifespan.
- Wider Infill Options: Unlike geogrids, which require specific, well-graded aggregates, Neoloy Tough-Cells can effectively utilize a wider range of infill materials, including sand, recycled or poorly-graded aggregates. This offers greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Performance Benefits of Neoloy Tough-Cells
- Advanced Material Properties: Neoloy Tough-Cells are crafted from a novel polymeric alloy (NPA) boasting superior properties like high stiffness, exceptional creep resistance, and remarkable tensile strength. These attributes translate to a significantly higher modulus improvement compared to geogrids.
- Reduced Road Thickness: Studies by KIWA testing institute in the Netherlands demonstrated that Neoloy Tough-Cells can achieve a road thickness reduction factor of over 70% compared to conventional methods.
- Improved Sustainability: Neoloy Tough-Cells promote sustainability by allowing the use of locally-available, marginal quality soils and recycled materials for infill. This significantly reduces quarrying, hauling, and associated environmental impact.
Geogrids, while offering a solution for soil stabilization, have limitations when compared to Neoloy Tough-Cells. Their 2D grid structure provides a limited confined zone and requires specific infill materials, often leading to higher costs and environmental impact.
Benefits
- 3D Neoloy has significantly larger confinement zones and higher modulus improvement factor than 2D geogrids.
- Neoloy beam (slab) effect works at low deformation levels while geogrids tension membrane effect works only at large deformations
- Suitable for base layer reinforcement, whereas geogrids are suitable for sub-layers only.
- Sustainable and cost-saving solution – uses wide variety of locally available marginal soils – does not require specific aggregate size
- Neoloy outperforms geogrids in the short and long-term – in both performance and cost
Key Advantages of Neoloy Tough-Cells over Geogrids
The table below summarizes the key advantages of Neoloy Tough-Cells:
| Parameter | Neoloy Tough-Cells | Geogrids |
| Infill Requirements | Wide range (ungraded, marginal, local soils, recycled materials, sand) | High-quality, costly well-graded ballast, stone and gravel |
| Sensitivity to Saturated Soil | Low – maintains confinement, strength when saturated | High – saturation lowers strength, increases settlements |
| Confinement Zone | Extends well beyond 100-200 mm cell height, high reinforcement factor | Limited vertical zone |
| Effect of Vertical Loading | Verified beam effect (semi-rigid slab) – limits lateral deformation | No beam effect, relies on high deformation |
| Modulus Improvement Factor (MIF) | Substantial improvement (up to 5x) |
Modest improvement |
| Typical Road Thickness Reduction Factor | Up to 70% (KIWA institute tests) |
Up to 45% (KIWA institute tests) |
| Extend Lifespan & Lower Maintenance | Extends lifespan, reduces maintenance costs | Varies depending on geogrid type and layers |
| Cost-Effectiveness | Higher unit cost offset by performance and infill options | Lower unit cost but lower performance |
| Sustainability | High (uses local soils and recycled materials) | Low (requires specific aggregates) |
| Installation | Reduces structural layers to save time and money | May require multiple layers to achieve higher reinforcement |
| Effectiveness on Soft Soils | Highly effective on sand, expansive clay, and peat | Partially effective on sand and expansive clay |
The Neoloy Hybrid Advantage
While both Neoloy Tough-Cells and geogrids offer benefits, a hybrid solution can be particularly advantageous. Combining Neoloy Tough-Cells in the structural layers with a geogrid working platform on the subgrade layer has proven highly effective in numerous applications. This approach leverages the advantages of both materials:
- Neoloy Tough-Cells provide exceptional 3D confinement, improved load distribution, and high performance within the structural layers.
- Geogrids create a stable working platform on soft subgrade, that multiplies the reinforcement factor of the Neoloy Tough-Cells.
For more information on the hybrid solution and how it can optimize your project, please contact our team of experts.