Geotextile and Sludge Dewatering Tubes are used extensively to construct and protect water infrastructure systems.
Applications include on-land and off-shore marine applications. These close-ended tubes contain filling ports evenly spaced at intervals along the length to allow for even hydraulic filling of a slurry of sand and water. Their long exteriors and high permittivity allow them to effectively remove waste solids and other pollution from water while leaving sand and solids inside the tube. After drying, the sediment creates a solid horizontal structure of compacted sand and/or dried mud.
Geotextile tubes, also known as Dewatering Tubes, are perfect for extensive dewatering filtration or sludge removal projects. Geotextile tubes have significantly larger dimensions and superior strength woven geotextile fabric or composite materials compared to the smaller footprint and non-woven material of dewatering bags. Once on site, Geotextile Dewatering Tubes are hydraulically filled with saturated or contaminated sediment, sand or bio-organic solids and waste materials. When fully dewatered, the sediment is reduced in weight and volume, allowing for more cost-effective material handling.
Our geotextile dewatering tube design allows very large amounts of sludge and silt to be removed without changing or replacing the dewatering product. Lengths vary from 50′-250′, with circumferences ranging from 15′-90′ with filling ports every 50′. Sludge dewatering tubes are available in numerous circumferences and sizes and can be customized to suit a specific location. When planning layout, the laydown area should be less than one degree of slope. Should your site have unique or challenging factors to work around, please contact us to provide more information.
Geotextile Tubes work best when filled to 80% capacity with sludge and sediment that is then allowed to consolidate. Once the consolidation has taken place, geotextile tubes are refilled, and that cycle continues until the solids reach 80% capacity. Best results are achieved when the dewatering tube is left in place for extended periods. For continuous operation, most customers purchase multiples to allow for settling times, creating a ‘train’ effect, dependent on volume and laydown areas available. After the sludge or sediment removal process is complete, the material can then be removed from the dewatering tubes and transported to an off-site location or used as fill or compost. If the geotextile tubes are to be left in place, they should be suitably designed and laid out for final footprint requirements as they cannot be moved when full.
Infrastructure Filtration Applications:
- Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP’s)
- Agricultural ponds
- Dredging
- Hydraulic and marine protection
- Environmental protection
- Remediation
- Mining Dewatering of contaminated sediment, fly ash or copper tailings
Infrastructure Filtration Applications:
- Revetments to protect the toes of coastal cliffs, bluffs, dunes and other exposed areas prone to erosion.
- Breakwaters to dissipate wave energy for shoreline restoration for inland waterways or coasts
- Dykes, cofferdams or levees to control and confine water to prevent flooding
- Groins that are constructed perpendicularly to the coastline to prevent beach erosion
- Construction platforms for construction vehicles to drive on during operations such as sheet pile installation
- Creation of offshore structures to control erosion around pipelines, bridges, wind turbines, etc.
- Construction of islands and wetlands
In coastal applications, the Geotextile Tubes are strategically laid out before filling to remain in place when the slurry fill is complete, providing cost-effective shoreline protection.
Contact us today to learn more about our different dewatering tubes, our team is here to help you find the right product for your needs!
