Researchers at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, have developed an industrially manufactured ‘jute geocell’ that can replace plastic geocells used in road construction and slope stabilisation.
The project is funded by the National Jute Board under the Union Ministry of Textiles and was executed at NITK Surathkal in collaboration with Birla Jute Mills. It is designed to be cheaper, environmentally sustainable, and suitable for large-scale use, particularly in rural and ecologically sensitive regions.
What are geocells?
Geocells are three-dimensional, honeycomb-like structures placed beneath roads or on slopes to strengthen weak soil, improve load-bearing capacity, and control erosion. At present, most geocells used in India are made from petroleum-based polymers such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene. While effective, these materials are expensive, non-biodegradable, and raise long-term environmental concerns, including microplastic pollution.
Comparable strength, higher bearing capacity
Laboratory studies conducted as part of the NITK research show that jute geocells perform on par with conventional polymeric geocells. Tensile strength tests recorded values of about 15.7 kilonewtons per metre, comparable to or higher than many plastic geocells currently in use. Plate load tests showed that soil reinforced with jute geocells achieved up to a 120% increase in bearing capacity, along with a significant reduction in settlement.
One of the key reasons for this performance is the natural surface texture of jute. Researchers found that the surface roughness of jute geocells is more than 10 times higher than that of polymeric geocells, which allows stronger interaction between soil and reinforcement. This improves load transfer without the need for perforations or chemical treatments commonly used in plastic systems.
Mechanised production cuts costs by 80%
A major innovation of the study lies in its manufacturing method. Instead of hand-stitched natural fibre geocells, which are labour-intensive and inconsistent, the team developed a mechanised stitching process using existing jute mill machinery. Jute fabric is cut into uniform strips and assembled into a honeycomb structure through machine stitching to enable consistent quality and industrial-scale production. This approach reduced production costs by nearly 80%, making the technology economically viable for public infrastructure projects, officials from the NITK said.
Because of their cost advantage and environmental benefits, the jute geocells are considered suitable for rural and low-volume roads, pavement subgrade and base reinforcement, slope stabilisation and landslide mitigation, erosion control on embankments and riverbanks, landfill cover systems and retaining structures.
From an environmental perspective, jute is a biodegradable and carbon-negative natural fibre, with cultivation capable of sequestering approximately 4.88 tonne of carbon dioxide per tonne of fibre. The technology also supports India’s domestic jute industry and rural employment.
The researchers noted that as a natural material jute is biodegradable and its long-term durability under extreme environmental exposure requires further study. However, for many temporary and semi-permanent infrastructure applications, this characteristic is seen as an advantage rather than a limitation.
Next step
Future work will focus on large-scale field trials, development of Indian standards for natural fibre geocells, enhancement of durability through eco-friendly treatments, and integration of the technology into national rural road and slope protection programmes. The system also has potential for adoption in other developing countries facing similar cost and environmental constraints.
Published – December 25, 2025 06:54 pm IST
