Drainage Cell VS Drainage Sheeting, What is The Difference?

Drainage is an important aspect of building and landscaping projects. When it comes to drainage systems in building and landscaping projects, two common material choices are often mentioned: Drainage Cell and Drainage Sheeting. While both products can perform important drainage functions, what are the differences between them? It is important to understand these differences when choosing the right solution for your project.

As an industry-leading drainage system supplier, BPM Geosynthetics produces a full range of high-quality drainage products based on the specific needs of our customers. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the main differences between Drainage Cell and Drainage Sheeting in terms of structural design, functional characteristics, advantages and application areas to help everyone fully understand these important drainage solutions.

1. What is the Difference Between Drainage Cell and Drainage Board?

1.1 Structural difference:

The drainage cell adopts a three-dimensional honeycomb structure design, which is composed of a large number of independent cavities and channels. This three-dimensional grid structure can not only effectively improve the drainage efficiency, but also has a certain compressive resistance. This makes the drainage cell more suitable for underground or ground drainage systems that are subject to greater pressure.

In contrast, the drainage sheeting adopts a more planar design, with a series of interconnected grooves inside to form a continuous water flow channel. This two-dimensional structure is more suitable for ground plane drainage systems, such as gardens, squares and other scenes.

1.2 Functional difference:

With its unique three-dimensional honeycomb structure, the drainage cell can achieve more efficient drainage function, especially for occasions that need to withstand greater pressure loads. At the same time, its three-dimensional structure can also provide good permeability and ventilation for the soil.

Although the drainage board is slightly insufficient in drainage performance, its installation is simpler and more direct, and it can be laid alone on the base, which is also more suitable for flat scenes. In addition, the plane design of the drainage board allows it to better integrate into the landscape environment.

In short, there are certain differences between drainage units and drainage boards in terms of structural design and functional characteristics. They need to be selected according to specific project requirements and site conditions to ensure that the drainage system performs at its best.

2. Drainage Cell VS Drainage Sheeting, What are the Different Applications?

2.1 The main application scenarios of drainage cells include:

2.1.1 Waterproofing of foundations and basements: It can be used as a protective layer to form a drainage channel between the concrete wall and the soil, effectively preventing water accumulation from eroding the foundation.

2.1.2 Green roof system: It is used as a drainage layer under the green roof to quickly drain excess water and prevent root rot.

2.1.3 Tunnel waterproofing: It is used as a drainage layer between the tunnel lining and the rock.

2.1.4 Landfill: It is used as a drainage layer at the landfill site to prevent the accumulation of leachate.

2.2 The main application scenarios of drainage sheets include:

2.2.1 Foundation pit support: It is used as a drainage layer between the foundation pit support wall and the surrounding structure to quickly drain groundwater.

2.2.2 Basement waterproofing: It forms a drainage channel between the wall and the soil to prevent water from seeping into the basement.

2.2.3 Waterproofing of foundation and pipelines: It can be used as an anti-corrosion protective layer for pipelines and a drainage layer around pipelines.

2.2.4 Slope drainage: It is applied to high and steep slopes to form a drainage layer to prevent slope collapse.

In general, drainage units are more suitable as protective layers and vertical drainage, while drainage boards are more suitable for plane drainage. Both have their own advantages in waterproofing and drainage applications.

3. Drainage Cell VS Drainage Sheeting, What are The Differences in Installation Methods?

3.1 Installation location:

- Drainage Cell are usually used on vertical surfaces, such as basement walls, tunnels, etc.

- Drainage Sheeting are more commonly used on horizontal surfaces, such as roofs, foundations, etc.

3.2 Installation method:

- Drainage Cell are usually installed on vertical surfaces by direct pasting or mechanical fixing.

- Drainage Sheeting usually require a waterproof layer to be laid on the base layer before laying the drainage board.

3.3 Connection method:

- Drainage Cell are usually spliced by overlapping or mechanical connection.

- Drainage Sheeting often use overlapping or welding to connect the individual panels together.

3.4 Additional requirements:

- When installing Drainage Cell, special attention should be paid to preventing horizontal leakage.

- When installing Drainage Sheeting, special attention should be paid to the waterproof performance between the layers.

In general, Drainage Cell are more suitable for installation on vertical surfaces, and the installation process is relatively simple; while Drainage Sheeting are more suitable for horizontal surfaces, and additional waterproof measures are required during installation. The specific installation method should be selected according to the actual project conditions and product characteristics.

4. Summary

The main differences between drainage cells and drainage sheeting are their three-dimensional versus two-dimensional structure, their thickness, and their overall drainage capacity. Drainage cells generally have a higher drainage capacity due to their larger void spaces, while drainage sheeting is more compact and better suited for applications where space is limited. The choice between the two will depend on the specific requirements of the project, such as the volume of water to be drained, the available installation space, and the overall drainage system design.

I hope this discussion is helpful to you. BPM Geosynthetics can recommend the most suitable solution for you according to your specific project needs and provide professional installation guidance. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.