NIT-K Surathkal Will Soon Develop a Technology to Make Geocell Products From Jute

The National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Jute Board, under the Union Ministry of Textiles to develop a technology to make geocell products from jute and standardise them for various engineering applications. Under this MoU, NIT-K is awarded with a three-year research project with ₹48 lakh grant.

The project proposes among engineering applications to help improve the durability of roads, prevent potholes and improve the stability of slopes to prevent land slips, using jute in the form of cells. The commercially available polymer-based geocells are costly and not readily available in rural areas and small towns. This navigates towards inventing an eco-friendly, cost-effective cellular confinement product that satisfies engineering strength requirements.