Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata), cogon (Imperata cylindrica), and polypropylene fibers as hybrid woven geotextile impregnated with polystyrene based organic solution

Abstract

The widespread use of synthetic materials in production, such as geotextile, has contributed to environmental concerns and waste management by utilizing the advantages of natural fibers, including their inherent biodegradability, widespread availability, and other significant properties. This study made a hybrid woven geotextile from Snake Plant, Cogon grass, and Polypropylene fibers impregnated with polystyrene-based organic solution. Blended design ratios of 4: 15% cogon - 15% snake plant - 70% polypropylene, 20% cogon - 20% snake plant - 60% polypropylene, 25% cogon - 25% snake plant - 50% polypropylene for the hybrid, and 50% cogon – 50% snake plant for the natural one is the basis in determining the best ratio for the geotextile application. The geotextile degradation test, tensile strength, water absorbency, and water solubility tests were collected for the study. The tests show that the 20% cogon - 20% snake plant - 60% polypropylene design ratio has the best properties for the geotextile application observation. It has the highest natural fiber content with a high tensile strength and a decent result in the water solubility and absorbency test. The 30-day observation for the undisturbed non-treated slope and the slope applied with geotextile revealed that the accumulated soil displacement collected is 9kgs without the geotextile and 1.25kgs with geotextile. Thus, hybrid woven geotextile for slope protection can lessen washing out topsoil with environmentally friendly material and is biodegradable with an organic-based solution in balancing hydrophilic characteristics within a hydrophobic matrix, thereby enhancing overall performance.