Physical and hydraulic properties of synthetic envelopes for subsurface drainage in Pakistan

Three imported and four local synthetic envelope materials were tested in the laboratory with upward flow permeameters to determine their physical properties and hydraulic performance. The base soil was taken from the site of the Fourth Drainage Project, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The performance parameters included ratios of gradient and hydraulic conductivity of the interface of envelope material and base soil and the discharge through the permeameter, which were evaluated against established particle-retention and filter criteria.The study concluded that each of the tested materials satisfied the particle-retention criteria because the ratio of characteristic diameters of envelope (O₉₀) and soil (d₉₀) remained less than 2.5. The filter criteria, however, could not be met satisfactorily, particularly during receding hydraulic gradients, when the ratio of envelope and base soil hydraulic conductivities (Ke/Ks) dropped below 1, except in the case of one imported material. Blocking of the soil-envelope interface occurred due to the internal movement of soil particles, particularly during receding gradients.