Subsoil Drainage - Detailed Design

Document No: D09#90695

Revision: 3B

Date amended: 13-May-2015

The information below is intended to reflect the preferred practice of Main Roads Western Australia ("Main Roads").
Main Roads reserves the right to update this information at any time without notice. If you have any questions or
comments please contact Zahirul Baten by e-mail or on (08) 9323 4160.
To the extent permitted by law, Main Roads, its employees, agents, authors and contributors are not liable for any
loss resulting from any action taken or reliance made by you on the information herein displayed.

Revision Register
Ed/Version Number

Clause Number

Description of Revision

Date

All

Guideline Developed

13-May-20

1A

1.6

Main Roads Technical Specifications updated.

10-Oct-200

1B

1.6

Relinked to Updated Specification 403.

11-Sep-200

All

Guideline Revised and Approved.

08-May-20

Header

Contact updated.

11-Nov-201

3A

Header

Telephone number of contact person updated.

25-Apr-201

3B

Header

Contact updated.

13-May-20

Table of Content

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2. Chapter 2 of 3. DETAILED DESIGN

2.1 General
2.2 Location of Subsoil Drainage
2.3 Design Information
2.4 Flushing Out Points
2.5 Subsoil Drainage Outlets
2.6 Geotextile for Subsoil Drains
2.7 Geocomposite Drains

2. Chapter 2 of 3. DETAILED DESIGN

2.1 General

The design of subsoil drainage should be undertaken as part of the geotechnical investigation for
the site by a suitably qualified engineer. Specialised guidance may be found in Gerke (1987) and
NAASRA (1983).
Subsoil drainage may be required:
o
to ensure adequate drainage of the pavement and subgrade
o
to lower the water table below the road formation

to intercept groundwater that could infiltrate the pavement.

Generally subsoil drainage should be designed to the Average Annual Maximum Groundwater
Level (AAMGL) which can be obtained from Waters & Rivers Commission. Waters & Rivers
Commission may impose limits to the lowering of ground water levels. This needs to be
confirmed on a project by project basis. Subsoil drainage should be designed to provide the
required capacity. To avoid the system failing due to partial blocking of the pipe, the pipe should
be designed to carry at least three times the expected flow. However, the minimum slotted pipe
to be provided is 100 mm diameter for maintenance purposes.
The design shall take into account maintenance requirements to ensure the effective long term
operation of permanent subsoil drainage installations.
The minimum desirable grade of subsoil drainage is 1%, however in some instances this may not
be practical to achieve.
For specific design details of subsoil drain components such as geotextile, filter material and
drainage pipes, reference should be made to the manufacturer's product catalogues which
provide information to assist in this area.
2.2 Location of Subsoil Drainage

Figure 2.1 indicates examples where subsoil drainage should be placed with respect to the
carriageway and the pavement.

Figure 2.1 Typical examples of subsoil drainage construction

2.3 Design Information

The subsoil drainage design information shown on the drawings shall be in accordance with the
requirements of Main Roads' Design and Drawing Presentation guideline.
2.4 Flushing Out Points

Typical details are shown in Figure 2.2 including cleanout openings which should be made easily
accessible for maintenance operations, and should be provided at intervals of not more than 60
metres and at abrupt changes of grade and alignment.

Figure 2.2 Subsoil Drain Flushout Points

2.5 Subsoil Drainage Outlets

The outlets of sub-soil drains not discharging into gully-pits, manholes etc. should be constructed
together with a small area of stone pitching to prevent grass growth and blocking of the outlets.
To aid finding the outlet a post marker shall be provided. The preferred marker is a
80x40x1200mm steel box section capped, painted white.
If a subsoil drain discharges into a solid pipe then manholes for this pipe shall be provided in
accordance with the requirements described in Main Roads' Guide to Piped Systems.
If a subsoil drain does not terminate in a gully pit or man hole but rather discharges by a surface
outlet, the last 6.0m should be made impermeable by encasement in concrete or PVC.
2.6 Geotextile for Subsoil Drains

Before specifying geotextiles, it is important to undertake a soil analysis to determine the

required geotextile properties. Past experience has shown that soils with silt content and a low
plasticity index may clog certain types of geotextiles. A proper design of geotextile filter should
be carried out based on the application, soil boundary and hydraulic conditions. It may also be
warranted to undertake analysis of the groundwater as certain elements such as iron oxide can be
detrimental to the performance of certain geotextiles.
The use of geotextiles shall be in accordance with Main Roads' Specifications 403 Sub-soil
Drains. The Specification covers the supply and installation of subsoil drains only. It is the
designer's responsibility to ensure that the geotextile specified is adequate to perform not only its
design function but also withstand any construction loadings.
2.7 Geocomposite Drains

Geocomposite drains comprise a prefabricated polymeric drainage core with an outer geotextile
filter. They are generally referred to as Prefabricated Geocomposite Edge Drain (PGED). PGED
is a cost effective and easy to install solution for subsoil drainage works including; roadside edge
drains, under kerb drainage, cross drainage across highways, under drains for road widening etc.
Advantages of PGED include:
o
Geocomposite drains have a larger surface area than a round pipe, so they
generally collect infiltrating water more quickly.
o
These drains have a fabric filter fully supported by an internal core so it will not
intrude or burst.
These drains may clog due to the intrusion of fines and to buckling during or following
construction. Because it is nearly impossible to clean a geocomposite drain once it becomes
clogged, the presence of erodible fines and the potential for migration should be investigated
before such a drain is selected. In considering their use, risks associated with these drains

becoming blocked and the adverse effect on pavement performance should be considered. For
more details on geocomposite edge drains, refer to Austroads Pavement Rehabilitation - A Guide
to the Design of Rehabilitation Treatments for Road Pavements (2004).
References:
1.
Gerke, R.J., 1987, Australian Road Research Board's Special Report No. 35, Subsurface
Drainage of Road Structures.
2.
National Association of Australian State Road Authorities, 1983, Guide to the Control of
Moisture in Roads. Sydney. NAASRA.
3.
Austroads 2004, AP-G78/04 : Pavement Rehabilitation - A Guide to the Design of
Rehabilitation Treatments for Road Pavements. Sydney. Austroads.

Subsoil Drainage - General Standards

Document No: D09#90695

Revision: 3B

Date amended: 13-May-2015

The information below is intended to reflect the preferred practice of Main Roads Western Australia ("Main Roads").
Main Roads reserves the right to update this information at any time without notice. If you have any questions or
comments please contact Zahirul Baten by e-mail or on (08) 9323 4160.

To the extent permitted by law, Main Roads, its employees, agents, authors and contributors are not liable for any
loss resulting from any action taken or reliance made by you on the information herein displayed.

Revision Register
Ed/Version Number Clause Number

Description of Revision

All

Guideline Developed.

13-May-2002

All

Guideline Revised and Approved.

08-May-2009

Header

Contact updated.

11-Nov-2011

3A

Header

Telephone number of contact person updated.

25-Apr-2012

3B

Header

Contact updated.

13-May-2015

Table of Content

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o
o

Date

1. Chapter 1 of 3. GENERAL STANDARDS AND APPLICATION

1.1 General
1.2 Use of Subsoil Drainage
1.3 Drainage Blankets

1. Chapter 1 of 3. GENERAL STANDARDS AND APPLICATION

1.1 General

This Chapter provides a guide to the use of subsoil drainage in the context of road construction
where moisture problems may occur.
Some moisture is always present in the subgrade and unbound paving materials due to capillary
moisture movement controlled by the environment. If this becomes excessive the subgrade and
pavement can be weakened appreciably. Consequently it is important to minimise ingress of
water into the pavement and subgrade.
Knowledge of the source of moisture and methods by which it can enter a road structure is of
paramount importance for the adequate design of a subsoil drainage system. The main
mechanisms, by which moisture can enter a road subgrade and pavement, as shown in Figure
1.1, are:
1.
Seepage from higher ground.
2.
Upward movement of a water-table under a road.
3.
Rainfall infiltration through the road surfacing.
4.
Capillary moisture from ponded water within the verges.
5.
Capillary moisture from the water-table.
6.
Vapour movements from below the road.

7.

Lateral seepage of moisture through pavement materials comprising the road shoulder.

Figure 1.1 Sources of Moisture and ways by which water enters subgrade and
pavement
Vapour movements (6) and lateral seepage (7) are both difficult problems to deal with and often
only arise because the capacity of a drainage system to cope with mechanisms (1) to (5) is
inadequate. If the road drainage system can successfully remove moisture entering via
mechanisms (1) to (5) then mechanisms (6) and (7) are unlikely to occur.
Before a subsurface drainage system is designed, investigations should be carried out to provide
an understanding of the range of groundwater conditions present at the site, with the results
included in the geotechnical investigation report.
1.2 Use of Subsoil Drainage

Subsoil drains are perforated pipes laid in trenches of free draining material that protect road
formations by draining water from the road structure and intercepting groundwater which would
otherwise affect it. Figure 1.2 shows typical positions within the roadway cross section where
sub-soil drains would be placed. Figure 2.1 shows greater detail, including that relating to subsoil
drainage construction.
Where possible, it is desirable to place drains as near as practicable to the edge of the pavement
but no closer than 0.4m from the edge of the carriageway, and somewhat deeper than the desired
level of lowered water table.

Trench to intercept flow through an inclined permeable layer

Figure 1.2 Location of Subsoil Drains
Where the carriageway and shoulders are surfaced with asphalts, ingress of water through the
road surface is unlikely to be significant. Similarly a sprayed seal over a primed, densely
compacted base course will normally provide adequate protection.
If the shoulders are not sealed, the top layer of the shoulder should consist of a material of low
permeability to minimise lateral seepage through the shoulder.

1.2.1 High Water Tables

Where high water tables exist, sub-soil drains may be ineffective, particularly where it is difficult
to provide an outlet. In some cases such drains could act in reverse and provide a means of
access for water to the pavement. In these circumstances the most effective measure which can
be taken to improve subgrade moisture conditions is to raise the subgrade above the surface of
the ground. However this may not be possible in some situations. In this case, the pavement
design should be based on soaked conditions (saturated pavement). In some situations a cement,
bituminous or lime treated sub-base and/or bituminous treated base may be needed. Stabilisation
with cement, bitumen or lime reduces the sensitivity of materials to moisture. Where stabilisation
is proposed the quality of the groundwater should be tested to ensure it does not contain
constituents that may adversely affect the stabilising materials.

1.2.2 Localised Springs

In some situations transverse interceptor drains may be required for control of localised springs
and side-hill seepage. These drains should be individually designed to accommodate required
capacity.

1.2.3 Cuttings

Subsoil drains are effective in cuttings to divert ground water away from the pavement structure.
For this purpose the drains should be placed parallel to the pavement edges, adjacent to the
outside shoulder edge. Figure 1.3 shows a typical example in a cutting where sub-soil drains
would be required. The critical region tends to be in the transition zone from cut to fill where
sub-soil drains are often required together with an increase in pavement thickness or a transition
zone of selected fill. A relatively large catchment area for infiltration above the road gives
warning of a possible need for sub-soil drains. If the surface layer of material is permeable, the
large catchment area may result in a considerable amount of "available" water, a large percentage
of which will infiltrate towards the road pavement, This is particularly the case where shallow
ground slopes result in low overland flow speeds, increasing the likelihood of infiltration. Such
instances can occur in cut as well as low embankments where the pavement goes into cut. Figure
1.4 shows this latter aspect.

Section A-A

Section B-B
Figure 1.3 Subsoil Drains in Cuttings

Figure 1.4 Subsoil Drains - Low Embankments

In undulating country where seepage is a problem, the grade line adopted should be such that
satisfactory outlets can be provided for any drains proposed.
In hilly or steep terrain, longitudinal sub-soil drainage may not completely intercept the ground
water flow. In such cases additional drains transverse to the road centre line may be required.
Subsoil drains are not normally provided on fills unless some special circumstances such as a
permeable median cover requires their use.
Where it is difficult to predict the location of seepage or saturated areas, allowance should be
made to vary the design during construction.
1.3 Drainage Blankets

A drainage blanket (Refer to Figure 1.5) may be required in certain site conditions to intercept
water from above or below and to divert it out of the pavement. Drainage blankets can protect
the pavement from upward groundwater flows, surface infiltration and rise of water by capillary
action. It is common practice to provide either a granular filter or a non-woven geotextile filter
fabric around drainage blankets to avoid movement of fines into the drainage layer.
The design of drainage blankets depends on hydrostatic pressures and permeabilities of
surrounding soil layers. Due to its specialised nature it should be undertaken by an experienced
geotechnical engineer as part of the geotechnical site investigation.
Lay (1998) details the significance of ensuring that:
o
Water always travels along a path with progressively greater permeability and
without flow constrictions
o
Any water movement in a layer does not cause water to be trapped in the
pavement structure at vertical sags or changes in layer thickness. It is wise to provide direct
transverse drainage at such locations
Where excess uplift water pressures occur beneath a pavement, drainage blankets in conjunction
with subsoil drains can often be used for effective control of subsurface water. When a drainage
blanket is used in conjunction with subsoil drains, the blanket should be in direct contact with the
aggregate filling the trench.
Difficulty is often experienced in compacting drainage blanket materials as they are relatively
open-graded and deficient in fines. The material in a drainage blanket may need to be protected

above and below by layers of geotextile. Drainage blankets should be provided with outlets at
sufficient locations to ensure that they adequately drain.

Figure 1.5 Drainage Blanket

Reference:
1. Lay, M.G.,1998 Handbook of Road Technology, Volume 1, Planning and Pavements 3rd ed,
Gordon and Breach Science Publishers