Drainage system

The drainage of water is one of the essential cornerstones of civil engineering design. In building construction, building components should not be in direct and permanent contact with water. In earthworks, the ingress of water from the surface or from aquifer water or groundwater should be avoided, since it can soften the soil layers or result in the accumulation of water.

Drainage is the term used to describe technical systems that allow water to drain away without pressure being applied. In order to drain the water in a controlled way, a separated permeable section is constructed. This should be more permeable than the surrounding material. Planar systems (area drainage) are differentiated from trench or pipe drainage systems. Planar drainage systems or layers can be constructed using permeable mineral materials or geosynthetics such as drainage grids, drainage mats and drainage membranes. For trench drainage and pipe drainage, mineral or plastic pipes can be used. Often a combination of planar and pipe drainage is required if the collected water is to be routed away from an area.