Geotextiles in Embankment Dams (FEMA P-730)
Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2008
Geotextiles are used in a variety of applications in embankment dam construction and rehabilitation. Although policy varies, most practitioners in the United States limit the use of geotextiles to locations where there is easy access for repair and replacement (shallow burial), or where the geotextile function is not critical to the safety of the dam should the geotextile fail to perform.
In a limited number of cases, geotextiles have been used as deeply buried filters in dams in France, Germany, South Africa, and a few other nations. Most notable, is the geotextile installed as a filter for Valcross Dam which has been successfully performing for over 35 years. These applications remain controversial and are not considered to be consistent with accepted engineering practice within the United States. Because geotextiles are prone to installation damage and have a potential for clogging, their reliability remains uncertain. Many organizations forbid their use in embankment dams in critical applications where poor performance could lead to failure of the dam or require costly repairs. Due to the potential problems associated with using geotextiles in a dam, they should not be placed in embankment dams where poor performance could lead to failure of the dam.
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Errata/Special Notes:
It is the policy of the National Dam Safety Review Board that geotextiles should not be used in locations that are critical to the safety of the dam. See the "Policy" section of this report for more details.
Revision ID: 5841
Revision Date: 12/16/2022