What are Geotextiles and its BIS Certification?

Geotextiles are permeable fabrics or synthetic material placed between the soil and pipe, gabion, or retaining wall (to enhance water movement and retard soil movement) and as a blanket to add reinforcement and separation.

Geotextile materials are made from polypropylene (polyester). They are basically of three types :

a.   Woven (looks like mail bag sacking)

b.   Needle Punched (looks like felt)

c.    Heat Bonded (looks like ironed felt)

Overall, these materials are referred to as geosynthetics and each configuration such as geonets, geosynthetic clay liners, geogrids, geotextile tubes, and others can yield benefits in geotechnical and environmental engineering design. The global geotextiles market is projected to grow from $8.47 billion in 2022 to $12.92 billion in 2029, at a CAGR of 6.2% in forecast period, 2022-2029.

Applications of Geotextiles in various fields :

Geotextiles have several applications as follows –

Civil Engineering Application :

o   Roads

o   Airfields

o   Embankments

o   Retaining Structures

o   Reservoirs

o   Canals

o   Dams

o   Coastal Engineering

o   Construction site silt fences or Geotube

• Sand dune armoring to protect upland coastal property from storm surge, wave action and flooding.
• Erosion Control
• In building demolition, geotextile fabrics in combination with steel wire fencing can contain explosive debris.

What is BIS Certification, and why is it critical to obtain BIS Certification for Geotextiles?

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity, which is causing several disasters that frequently occur worldwide. Thus importance of geotextiles is increased as they protect roads, soil, and bridges from natural disasters by retaining walls and embankments. Moreover, they have gained popularity due to their superior benefits, such as mechanical strength and liquid repellency.

Hence, obtaining BIS certification for geotextiles is of high importance. As, BIS certification system will ensure the premium quality of geotextile. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India which develops and publishes Indian Standards, Implement Conformity Assessment Schemes, Recognise & run laboratories for Conformity Assessment, Implement Hallmarking, Work for Consumer empowerment, Conduct capacity building programs on quality assurance and represent the country in ISO & IEC.

Under section 16, 17 and 25 of Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016), the Central Government is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do in the public interest and after consulting the Bureau of Indian Standards, hereby makes the Order – Geo Textiles (Quality Control) Order, 2022.

• As per this (Quality control) order, all the manufacturers of Geotextiles are obligated to bear the Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.

• Penalty for contravention. – Any person who contravenes the provisions of this Order shall be punishable in accordance with the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016).

For  the specification and performance requirements, the Bureau of Indian Standards has developed standards for Geotextiles, which are listed below:

• IS 15351 - BIS Certification for Laminated High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Woven Geomembrane for Water Proof Lining

• IS 15909 - BIS Certification for PVC Geomembranes for Lining

• IS 16653 - BIS Certification for Geosynthetics - Needle punched non-woven geobags for coastal and waterways protection

• IS 16654 - BIS Certification for Geosynthetics - Polypropylene Multifilament woven geobags for coastal and waterways protection

• IS 14715 (Part 1) - BIS Certification for Jute Geotextiles Part 1 Strengthening of Sub-Grade in Roads

• IS 14715 (Part 2) - BIS Certification for Jute Geotextiles Part 2 Control of Bank Erosion in Rivers

• IS 15869- Textiles - BIS Certification for Open weave coir bhoovastra

• IS 16391 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geotextiles Used in Sub-Grade Separation in Pavement Structures

• IS 16393 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geotextiles Used in subsurface Drainage application

• IS 16362 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geotextiles used in subgrade stabilization in pavement structures

• IS 16352 - Geosynthetics – BIS Certification for High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Geomembranes for Lining

• IS 16090 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geotextiles used as protection (or cushioning) materials

• IS 16392 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geotextiles for permanent erosion control in hard armor systems

• IS 17371 -  Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geogrids for flexible pavements

• IS 17372 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Polymeric strip/geostrip used as soil reinforcement in retaining structures

• IS 17373 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geogrids used in reinforced soil retaining structures

• IS 17374 - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Reinforced HDPE membrane for effluent and chemical resistance lining

• IS 17883 (Part l) - Geosynthetics – BIS Certification for Geocells - specification part 1 load bearing application

• IS 17883 (Part 2) - Geosynthetics - BIS Certification for Geocells – specification part 2 slope erosion protection application

Benefits of getting BIS Certification for Geotextiles to sell in the Indian Market with our help

• BIS Certification means that a certain product conforms to the quality standards set up by the government.
• It is compulsory for Geotextiles to obtain the BIS Licence, and the violators are penalised with the material seizure and a significant sum as a fine.
• Getting certification improves the probability of your product surviving and competing in the market.
• Customers have a tendency to buy BIS-certified products as they ensure safety and standard quality. Hence, with the certified products you can win the confidence and trust of the buyer.
• With the word of mouth of such a client list, you can establish your credibility in the market.
• Hence, with the renowned brand, you can raise the standard and benchmark the market value of the product.

Requirements to get the BIS license for Geotextiles

• Conformity of Raw Material as per above mentioned Indian Standards for Geotextiles
• In-house testing laboratory for mandatory tests
• Competent Quality Control Personnel
• Adherence to the BIS guidelines for Geotextiles as per the mentioned Indian standards

There are 4 major categories of documents required to get the BIS license:

a.   Administrative Details

b.   Technical Details

c.    Quality Control Personnel Details

d.   Commercial Details

Expenses involved in obtaining BIS certificate for Geotextiles :

BIS Fee :

o   Application Fees

o   Audit Charges (Consolidated)

o   License Fee

o   Marking Fee

Testing Charges :

o   Sample test Fee

In the certification process, product testing is the most important stage as it determines whether the quality of the product meets Indian standards.

• Consultancy and other charges : Expenses will be different for Indian Manufacturers and Foreign Manufacturers accordingly.

Role of ERCS Private Limited in getting your product certified :

• To get BIS certification and produce a standard quality product, the manufacturer must ensure that their product follows the specified Indian Standard Specifications (ISS) which we directly interpret to you from the BIS officials as per the Indian Standards.
• ECRS Private Limited will be your friend, philosopher and guide in the whole process of getting your product certified by the concerned authorities/ departments.

It is always better to consult with experience team such as ERCS Pvt. Ltd. for smooth certification process. For more information, please feel free to contact us at info@elitasrcs.com or call at +91-9076611770 / +91-9076611766.