“Filter fabric” is a generic term used to describe geotextiles whose primary function is allowing water to pass while keeping soil fines from migrating through the fabric. US Fabrics offers a complete line of geotextile filter fabrics.
There are three types of geotextile filter fabrics: needle punched nonwoven, DuPont™ spunbond nonwoven, and woven monofilament. The most commonly used are needle punched nonwovens. These popular fabrics are used in applications such as wrapping a perforated pipe or the gravel in French drain. There are also nonwovens robust enough for heavy duty filtration applications such as placement under rip-rap for shoreline erosion control.
In cases where fine grain sands (beach sands) are present, a woven monofilament is required. Monofilaments prevent the clogging that can occur when fine particles migrate into the matrix of a needle punched nonwoven and get stuck. Unlike nonwovens, woven monofilaments have a unique property called percent open area that prevents clogging. Monofilaments also offer higher strengths than nonwovens.
- Nonwoven Filter Fabric
- Popular
- High Water Flow
- Strong Enough For Rip Rap
- Woven Monofilament Filter Fabric
- Percent Open Area
- Resist Clogging
- Very High Strengths
Sometimes “filter fabric” is used incorrectly to describe woven separation and stabilization geotextiles. While these products do allow water to pass, they can clog and do not have the flow rates and permittivity of true filter fabrics.