The objective of this research project is to evaluate and compare the construction, effectiveness, and cost of a geocomposite prefabricated pavement edge-drain system versus the pennsylvania department of transportation (penndot) standard geotextile-wrapped, aggregateand pipe, filled trench pavement base drain system. Generally, penndot's standard edge drain appeared to outperform the geocomposite edge drain. Although the flow data collected were inadequate to be conclusive, the flows measured from the geocomposite edge drain were consistently less than the flows measured from penndot's standard edge-drain system. Upon investigation by excavation, areas were found where the geocomposite edge-drain core was clogged with fines. A gradation analysis indicated that penndot's standard edge-drain system was not significantly infiltrated by fine soil particles from the baseor subgrade. The geocomposite properties were inadequate either to prevent fine soil particles from entering the core or to expel the fines from the system after they had entered the core. The conclusionis that the prefabricated geocomposite was inappropriately used on a site where severe dynamic conditions precluded its proper function. Consequently, more restrictive product properties or application criteria need to be developed to ensure future success under similar field conditions. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1329, Geocomposite pavement drain systems 1991
Abstract