Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) or ‘Wick Drains' are composed of a plastic core encased by a geotextile for the purpose of expediting the consolidation of slow draining soils. PVDs have a channeled or studded plastic core wrapped with a geotextile. The plastic core functions as a support for the filter fabric and provides longitudinal flow paths along the drain length. It also provides resistance to longitudinal stretching as well as buckling of the drain.

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Vertical drains are used in the following markets:

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• Infrastructure: The drains are for example used for the construction of embankments for roads, railways, the preloading of runways and aprons for airports and infilling of port areas.

• Dredging and land reclamation: Drains are used when reclamations are constructed on soft deposits

• Mining: Drains are used in Tailing ponds to accelerate consolidation or to increase the leaching effect in use embankments

• Construction: Drains are used to make green and brownfield areas suitable for construction of for example houses, warehouses, and tank farms by reducing the residual settlement of the terrain

• Flood protection: Drains are used in the flood protection market to increase the stability of dikes and embankments during widening projects.

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