Specialty Fabrics Review September 2020 - 54

FOCUS

WORLD VIEWS

Coastal erosion is a constant
problem in Australia.
Geosynthetics are often used
to reinforce sand dunes and
other fragile environments.
Photo: Marie O'Mahony.

Going to extremes
Developments in geotextiles, renewable energy and recreation
stem from Australia's extreme environment.
BY MARIE O'MAHONY

A
Textiles around the world
With few exceptions, the textile industry
functions as a world market. However,
regional strengths and challenges
afford a unique perspective that
steers research and development
along a particular trajectory. Tools and
equipment may be universal, but the
experiences and circumstances of the
researchers and developers are not.
In the case of Australia, geographical
isolation, an extreme enviroment and
the outdoor lifestyle of its inhabitants
drive textile innovations.

ustralia's geographic isolation puts the country and its technical textile industry in a
novel position. The country is rich in natural resources, mining and exporting coal,
iron ore, petroleum gas, zinc ore and other materials. The mining industry directly
and indirectly puts pressures on the environment, with advanced geosynthetics helping
to mitigate its impact. In its Annual Climate Statement for 2019, the Australian Bureau of
Meteorology recorded the warmest and driest year on record, with significant heat waves
recorded for the summer months of December and January. Harnessing solar energy is an area
of intense research focusing on efficiencies, flexibility and scalability. The outdoor lifestyle
in Australia has a strong focus on sports and recreation, with advanced and technical textiles
driving innovation in apparel as well as larger-scale water-sports products.
MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The bidim® nonwoven geotextile has a long track record of providing an engineering solution
to land-erosion problems, such as weak soil, rutted and cracked roads, and liquid and gas leaks
escaping from landfill sites. This last application has long been a challenge to monitor in a
cost-effective and accurate manner.
The Australian manufacturer Geofabrics is now producing bidim C, the first commercial
conductive geotextile made with graphene. The key advantage over previous systems is that it
can be installed more efficiently with no wires involved and a simple overlap of the geotextile
as opposed to skilled welding and specialized equipment.
The bidim C liner has been installed at a South Australia mine where there is a need to
contain an aggressive level of wastewater. It is part of a system that consists of a chlorosulfonated
polyethylene (CSPE) primary liner followed by a bidim A34C conductive geotextile, then a
geocomposite drainage layer (or geonet) and a final compacted clay layer that functions as
a secondary liner for additional protection. Another mining application has been in coal
seam gas mining, where it is used in a brine waste tank. In this application, it saves design
and construction time, as well as financial and environmental costs.
Coastal erosion is a consistent challenge in Australia, where geosynthetics are used to
reinforce at-risk sand dunes and estuarine environments. With local branches throughout
Australia, Global Synthetics manufactures ProTube Coastal Tubes, large bags made to contain
sand and customized for specific applications in a range of sizes and reinforced with high

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Specialty Fabrics Review September 2020

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