High-friction geo-textiles for increasing the stability of landfill drainage layers and other high-friction angle installations, and related methods

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to geo-textiles having an increased resistance to the negative effects of shear forces in installations or layered structures which can be adapted and arranged to utilize geo-textiles. Geo-textiles of the invention comprise at least one high-friction compound, such as one or more high-friction polymers, and methods for making and utilizing them. The high-friction characteristics of components of the invention provide increased resistance to the negative effects of shear forces in layered installations which employ them. Geo-textiles of the invention may have one or more high-friction compounds provided on either or both surfaces. Geo-textiles according to the invention are particularly useful in sloped installations where at least a portion of the layered structure is at a slope angle of greater than 4 degrees, and can be interposed between one or more of geo-membranes, geo-grids, geo-cells, geocomposite laminates and conventional geo-textiles.

1 . A geo-textile having a first surface and a second surface, 
 wherein said geo-textile further comprises a high-friction compound on at least a portion of said first surface, such that said geo-textile possesses an increased resistance to shear forces when said geo-textile is in adjacent contact with the surface of another layer.    
   
   
       2 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is provided on a first area portion of said first surface, and said first portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       3 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said first area portion is at least 20% of said surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       4 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 45% of said surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       5 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 70% of said surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       6 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 95% of said surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       7 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is 100% of said surface area of said first surface  
   
   
       8 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound comprises one or more from the group comprising silicone-based compounds, ethylene vinyl acetates (“EVA's”), styrene butadiene rubbers, polyesters, ABS, polybutylenes, recycled latexes, recycled tire compounds, polyethylenes, polyvinyl acetates (“PVA's”), rubberized polyethylenes, ethylene propylene diene monomers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polypropylenes, rubberized polypropylenes, polybutadienes, plasticized polyvinyl chlorides, thermoplastic olefins, silicone compounds, and compounds derived from recycled tires.  
   
   
       9 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said geo-textile is one or more of woven, non-woven, needle-punched, and non-needle-punched.  
   
   
       10 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is adhered to said at last one of said surfaces by one or more of thermal bonding, one or more adhesives, laser welding, hot-melt bonding, ultrasound, and the adhesive properties of said high-friction compound itself.  
   
   
       11 . The geo-textile of  claim 10 , wherein said thermal bonding of said high-friction compound to said geo-textile is accomplished by 
 A. effecting deposition of one or more of said high-friction compounds upon said first surface of said geo-textile, wherein said high-friction compound is deposited in the form of one or more of strands, fibers, beads, globules, flakes, powders, pellets, gels, liquids, crystals, films, matrices and sheets, and then    B. supplying sufficient heat to one or more of said high-friction compound and said geo-textile such that said bonding is accomplished.    
   
   
       12 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is applied in one or more patterns.  
   
   
       13 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound applied to said first surface has a first thickness, said thickness being measured perpendicularly from the average mean surface of said geo-textile, wherein said first thickness is at least 0.1 millimeters.  
   
   
       14 . The geo-textile of  claim 13 , wherein said first thickness is at least 1.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       15 . The geo-textile of  claim 13 , wherein said first thickness is at least 2.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       16 . The geo-textile of  claim 13 , wherein said first thickness is at least 3.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       17 . The geo-textile of  claim 12 , wherein said one or more patterns are selected from the group comprising, straight rows, curved rows, straight stripes, curved stripes, intermittent squares, intermittent circles, intermittent eccentric shapes, regular polygons, irregular polygons, checkerboards, lattices, wave patterns and repeating free-form or miscellaneous designs.  
   
   
       18 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is applied randomly.  
   
   
       19 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , further comprising a high-friction compound provided on a second area portion of said second surface, wherein said second portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       20 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said first area portion is at least 20% of said surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       21 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 45% of said surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       22 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 75% of said surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       23 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is at least 95% of said surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       24 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said wherein said first area portion is 100% of said surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       25 . The geo-textile of  claim 19 , wherein said high-friction compound comprises one or more from the group comprising silicone-based compounds, ethylene vinyl acetates (“EVA's”), styrene butadiene rubbers, polyesters, ABS, polybutylenes, recycled latexes, recycled tire compounds, polyethylenes, polyvinyl acetates (“PVA's”), rubberized polyethylenes, ethylene propylene diene monomers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polypropylenes, rubberized polypropylenes, polybutadienes, plasticized polyvinyl chlorides, thermoplastic olefins, silicone compounds, and compounds derived from recycled tires.  
   
   
       26 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is interwoven among the fibers of said geo-textile during manufacture of said geo-textile such that said high-friction compound is disposed on at least a portion of said first surface.  
   
   
       27 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound is provided in the form of fibers, beads, globules, flakes, powders, pellets, gels, liquids, crystals, films, matrices and strands, which are interwoven among the fibers of said geo-textile during manufacture of said geo-textile such that said high-friction compound is disposed on at least portions of both said first and said second surfaces.  
   
   
       28 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said adjacent surface of another layer is one or more from the group comprising geo-membranes, geo-grids, geo-textiles, paved surfaces, earthen surfaces, earth-aggregate surfaces, geo-nets, geo-mats and geo-cells.  
   
   
       29 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said high-friction compound comprises adhesive properties.  
   
   
       30 . The geo-textile of  claim 29 , wherein said high-friction compound is suitable for adhering said geo-textile to one or more of a geo-net, a geo-membrane, a geo-cell, a void-maintaining core structure, and a second geo-textile.  
   
   
       31 . The geo-textile of  claim 1 , wherein said geo-textile is adapted and arranged to comprise at least part of a removable or permanent cover for a landfill, artificial basin or other large structure.  
   
   
       32 . A method for forming a geo-textile, said geo-textile having an increased resistance to horizontal shear forces with respect to one or more adjacent surfaces, comprising the steps of 
 A. providing a geo-textile, said geo-textile having a geo-textile first surface and a geo-textile second surface,    B. effecting application of at least one high-friction compound to said geo-textile first surface.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said application of said high-friction compound to said geo-textile first surface is effected by 
 i) providing said high-friction compound onto said first surface as said geo-textile is being formed, and then    ii) applying sufficient heat to one or more of said high-friction compound and said geo-textile such that said high-friction compound and said geo-textile are bonded to one another.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said application of said high-friction compound to said geo-textile first surface is effected by 
 providing said high-friction compound onto said first surface after said geo-textile is formed, and then    applying sufficient heat to one or more of said high-friction compound and said geo-textile such that said high-friction compound and said geo-textile are bonded to one another.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said sufficient heat is provided by one or more of flames, heated air, steam, infrared radiation, heated rollers, heated platens, microwaves, ultra-sound, the melt heat of said high-friction compound, and the heat of formation of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said application of said high-friction compound to said geo-textile first surface is effected by one or more of spraying, random spattering, ultrasound, extrusion of said high-friction compound onto said first surface as said geo-textile is being formed, extrusion of said high-friction compound onto said first surface after said geo-textile is formed, laser melting of said high-friction compound onto said first surface, and hot-melting of said high-friction compound onto said first surface.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one high-friction compound is provided in the form of one or more of strands, fibers, beads, globules, flakes, powders, pellets, gels, liquids, crystals, films, matrices and sheets.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said high-friction compound comprises one or more from the group comprising silicone-based compounds, ethylene vinyl acetates (“EVA's”), styrene butadiene rubbers, polyesters, ABS, polybutylenes, recycled latexes, recycled tire compounds, polyethylenes, polyvinyl acetates (“PVA's”), rubberized polyethylenes, ethylene propylene diene monomers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polypropylenes, rubberized polypropylenes, polybutadienes, plasticized polyvinyl chlorides, thermoplastic olefins, silicone compounds, and compounds derived from recycled tires.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said high-friction compound is provided on at least a first area portion of said first surface, and said first portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 20% of the surface area of said first surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 45% of the surface area of said first surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 70% of the surface area of said first surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 95% of the surface area of said first surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers 100% of the surface area of said first surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of 
 C. effecting application of said high-friction compound to said geo-textile second surface.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said high-friction compound is provided on at least a second area portion of said second surface, and said second portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said second surface.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 20% of the surface area of said second surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 45% of the surface area of said second surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 70% of the surface area of said second surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers at least 95% of the surface area of said second surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein, after application and heating of said high-friction compound, said compound covers 100% of the surface area of said second surface of said geo-textile.  
   
   
       52 . The geo-textile of  claim 32 , wherein said high-friction compound applied to said first surface has a first thickness, said thickness being measured perpendicularly from the average mean surface of said geo-textile, wherein said first thickness is at least 0.5 millimeters.  
   
   
       53 . The geo-textile of  claim 32 , wherein said first thickness is at least 1.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       54 . The geo-textile of  claim 32 , wherein said first thickness is at least 2.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       55 . The geo-textile of  claim 32  wherein said first thickness is at least 3.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       56 . A method for increasing resistance to the undesirable effects of horizontal shear forces between one or more geo-membranes, geo-textiles, geo-composites, geo-nets, geo-cells and void-maintaining layers in a landfill installation, comprising the steps of 
 A. providing a sheet-like high-friction geo-textile, said geo-textile having a first surface and a second surface, 
 wherein said geo-textile comprises means disposed on at least said first surface of said geo-textile for increasing the coefficient of friction between said geo-textile and an adjacent layer, and  
   B. effecting disposition of said high-friction geo-textile adjacent to one or more of said geo-membranes, said geo-textiles, said geo-nets and said void-maintaining layers.    
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said disposition of said high-friction geo-textile is between a geo-membrane and a geo-grid.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said disposition of said high-friction geo-textile is between two geo-membranes.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said disposition of said high-friction geo-textile is between a geo-membrane and a second geo-textile.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said disposition of said high-friction geo-textile is between a geo-membrane and a void-maintaining layer.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said disposition of said high-friction geo-textile is on top of at least a portion of said landfill and underneath at least one of said geo-membranes, said geo-textiles, said geo-nets and said void-maintaining layers.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said means for increasing the coefficient of friction between said geo-textile and an adjacent layer comprises at least one high-friction compound selected from the group comprising silicone-based compounds, ethylene vinyl acetates (“EVA's”), styrene butadiene rubbers, polyesters, ABS, polybutylenes, recycled latexes, recycled tire compounds, polyethylenes, polyvinyl acetates (“PVA's”), rubberized polyethylenes, ethylene propylene diene monomers, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polypropylenes, rubberized polypropylenes, polybutadienes, plasticized polyvinyl chlorides, thermoplastic olefins, silicone compounds, and compounds derived from recycled tires.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said high-friction geo-textile comprises means on both said first and said second surfaces of said geo-textile for increasing the coefficient of friction between said geo-textile and said adjacent layers.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said high-friction compound is provided on at least a first area portion of said first surface, and said first portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 20% of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 60% of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 95% of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first portion of said high-friction compound covers 100% of the surface area of said first surface.  
   
   
       69 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said high-friction compound applied to said first surface has a first thickness, said thickness being measured perpendicularly from the average mean surface of said geo-textile, and wherein said first thickness is at least 0.5 millimeters.  
   
   
       70 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first thickness is at least 1.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       71 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first thickness is at least 2.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       72 . The method of  claim 56 , wherein said first thickness is at least 3.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       73 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein said upper surface is disposed for contacting one or more adjacent surfaces, and 
 wherein said high-friction compound is provided on at least a first area portion of said upper surface, and said first portion comprises a percentage of the surface area of said upper surface.    
   
   
       74 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said first area portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 20% of said upper surface area of said upper surface.  
   
   
       75 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said first area portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 60% of said upper surface area of said upper surface.  
   
   
       76 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said first area portion of said high-friction compound covers at least 95% of said upper surface area of said upper surface.  
   
   
       77 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein said first area portion of said high-friction compound covers 100% of said upper surface area of said upper surface.