Geosynthetic products manufacturer and comprehensive supplier Fibertex supplies a range of components for advanced subsoil drainage systems, designed for use in various industries, including civil engineering, construction and agriculture.

Included in the range it supplies are Drainex slotted drainage pipes, which are used in conjunction with Fibertex geotextiles and composite drainage systems that encompass geonets, fin drains and wick drains.

“Drainex pipes are manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a chemically resistant polymer, with resistance to acids or alkali attack. These durable drainage pipes also offer high-impact resistance and are ultraviolet stabilised, ensuring extended service life in arduous environments,” says Fibertex South Africa geosynthetics national sales director Darryn Meisel.

He explains that Drainex pipes have a double wall sandwich construction, with a corrugated external wall and a smooth inner wall, with a low coefficient of friction. This design combines high ring stiffness, under 450 kPa, with good flow characteristics, allowing for the best use of pipe diameter.

“These drainage pipes are bedded and side filled with filter material and properly compacted surrounding soil, to form a complete pipe-soil system. This robust structure can withstand loads in excess of 150 kN/m from soil pressure and other superimposed loads,” he points out.

Drainage perforations are created in the valley of the corrugations to protect the pipe from blockage from drainage aggregate. Drainex is available in diameters of 75 mm, 110 mm or 160 mm in coils and 6 m lengths.

He explains that the push fit couplings and profiled sealing rings ensure reliable joining and watertight sealing of Drainex pipe fittings.

Fibertex supplies a large range of other geosynthetic products into the civil engineering and mining industries.

He concludes that these products include nonwoven and woven geotextiles, gabions and mattresses, geosynthetic clay liners, composite cuspated drainage and leak detection systems, erosion control blankets and cellular confinement solutions.