Reliability, durability and safety are essential in road and slope reinforcement. Products from TenCate Geosynthetics demonstrate their prowess in this field of application.
The Czech Directorate for Road and Motorway Construction is working on a pioneering project in order to meet the requirements of modern infrastructure: the construction of the 172-kilometer-long D3 highway, which will connect the Czech capital, Prague, with the Austrian border at Dolní Dvořiště, as an extension of the Mühlviertel freeway (S10). The route constitutes an important structural road and is also part of the European Route 55.
The challenge
Built between 1979 and 1992, the existing road, which is I/3 between Ceske Budejovice and Krasejovka, is a 20-kilometer section of the D3. The segments „D3 Úsilné – Hodějovice” and “D3 Hodějovice – Třebonín” were no longer able to cope with the traffic volumes encountered today. Their capacity limits had been exceeded and traffic safety was compromised. Thus, the reconstruction and expansion of the section were unavoidable. When construction work began in 2019, a section of the route showed initial signs of instability. An additional geotechnical investigation finally confirmed that without swift action, landslides were inevitable.
What was at stake
In order to ensure road safety and to sustainably equip the road for current and future requirements, TenCate Geosynthetics supported the reconstruction of I/3 of the road with a comprehensive concept for road and slope reinforcement. In close cooperation with the client, specialists from TenCate Geosynthetics developed a holistic approach that included the use of various TenCate Geosynthetics products.
The solution
To successfully implement this comprehensive project, the project team selected three specific products to match the customer requirements and conditions:
TenCate Miragrid® GX
Knitted geogrids made of high tenacity polyester yarns with a polymeric coating that are particularly well suited to the reinforcement of medium to coarse-grained soils due to their high tensile strength and low creep tendency.
TenCate Geolon® PP
A full range of woven fabrics made of polypropylene tape and split fiber yarns with an excellent chemical resistance. Lower strength products are mainly used as a separator, whereas the higher strength range provides reinforcement and separation in road construction over weak, or very weak soils.
TenCate Polyfelt® TS
Mechanically bonded continuous-filament nonwoven geotextile manufactured from UV-stabilized polypropylene which is ideal for separation and filtration due to its excellent mechanical and hydraulic properties and outstanding long-term performance.
In 2019, the installation of the project finally began. Depending on the degree of soil instability, TenCate Geosynthetics implemented subgrade remediation, soil stabilization and slope reinforcement measures along the road section. These interventions helped to intercept potential slip circles and ensure the slopes’ long-term stability.
We are proud that our geosynthetics products were successfully used for subsoil stabilization and slope reinforcement during the construction of the D3 highway. In this infrastructure project, providing an overall technical solution and complete product package to our customer helped us stand out vis-à-vis our competitors.
Jiri Pecenka, Area Sales Manager CZ, SK, HU and Baltics
Impressive numbers
During the extensive work carried out between 2019 and 2020, TenCate Geosynthetics recorded a remarkable balance in material supply, reflecting the broad scope of this project:
- 650,000 m² TenCate Miragrid® GX for subsoil and slope reinforcement
- 700,000 m² TenCate Geolon® PP for separation
- 150,000 m² TenCate Polyfelt® TS for separation and filtration
In this project, specialists from TenCate Geosynthetics were able to implement a reliable solution tailored to the client’s needs, making an essential Czech road safer and sustainably preparing it for the future.
Stay up to date
Would you like to learn more about TenCate Geosynthetics’ projects and success stories? Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest developments.
Content provided by:
Jiri Pecenka, Area Sales Manager CZ, SK, HU and Baltics