Fibertex South Africa – distributors in South Africa for the German manufactured Naue Geosynthetics range of geogrids – supplies durable PET (polyester) and PP (polypropylene) high-strength geogrid reinforcement materials for all civil engineering applications, including mining, environmental, infrastructure and marine engineering projects.
“Secugrid® – a high-performance, soil reinforcement product produced with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology – strengthens naturally unstable soil and subgrades to be able to withstand the loading conditions imposed by modern engineering demands,” says Darryn Meisel, national sales manager, Fibertex South Africa. “Secugrid is available in both biaxial form, for use in basal reinforcement applications and uniaxial form, for use in other markets. These applications comprise mechanically stabilised earth walls, including veneer stabilisation, the segmental retaining wall market, embankment reinforcement and pile cap platforms.
“Secugrid is available in biaxial grades of up to 80 kN/m (ultimate tensile strength) and in uniaxial grades of up to 400 kN/m, or 1200 kN/m with Secugrid HS ®. However, realistic design conditions demand a strength transfer in the range of less than 2%, which is the critical factor.”
Geogrid reinforcement decreases the dependency on base course thickness, also extending service life and reducing long-term maintenance needs.
Secugrid is manufactured from extruded monolithic PET or PP strands that are drawn to orientate the polymers into high-tenacity flat bars to achieve a high modulus i.e. high strength at low elongations. This, combined with the NAUE patented welding technology, provides a structurally sound and stable geogrid.
Furthermore, the surface of the bars are embossed, inducing additional frictional interaction with the soil. This enables the Secugrid to pick up the load transfer quickly through both an interlocking and frictional effect, with little or no movement in the overlying soil materials.
Secugrid is supplied in rolls and is easy to handle; quick and efficient to install, with minimal demand on labour resources. The product is also highly resistant to biological and chemical degradation and installation damage.
Secugrid is a robust reinforcement material that can be easily and safely installed during virtually all weather conditions, without the need for heavy equipment or special construction techniques. Panels are joined and continuity is assured with simple overlaps depending on the application. Standard cutting tools can be used for on-site trimming and various geometrical shapes for steep sided slopes can be formed when necessary.
In addition to the standard Secugrid range, Fibertex South Africa also supplies Combigrid® – a combination Secugrid/Geotextile composite product. Combigrid delivers reinforcement, filtration, separation and drainage all in one product. This product is predominantly used in conjunction with soft and low ‘California Bearing Ratio’ (CBR) soil, where reinforcing in combination with separation and filtration is needed. For example, in base and embankment reinforcement and load transfer platforms of pile caps.
These geogrids are manufactured to stringent international specifications, including EN ISO 9001 : 2000, ensuring uniformity and high quality.
Fibertex South Africa supplies an extensive range of environmentally-friendly geosynthetic products from its KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Western Cape facilities that encompasses nonwoven and woven geotextiles, gabions and mattresses, drainage pipes and fittings and erosion control and cellular confinement solutions.
The company also supplies soil reinforcing products, including geogrids and geocells, as well as geosynthetic clay liners and geomembranes as part of composite lining systems used in modern landfills and for other environmental protection applications.
