Structural drainage with geosynthetics describes the controlled collection and discharge of groundwater, gas and seepage water from civil engineering structures. Hydrostatic pressure and water ingress damage retaining walls, tunnel linings and basement slabs. Secudrain® geocomposites resolve this by replacing conventional granular drainage aggregate with a slim, high-performance system that maintains reliable flow for the full-service life of the structure.
Secudrain® geocomposites are used wherever groundwater and seepage water must be reliably managed behind civil engineering structures, without the bulk and complexity of conventional granular drainage.
Secudrain® geocomposites relieve hydrostatic pressure behind concrete, masonry and reinforced earth retaining walls throughout their service life.
Secudrain® manages groundwater ingress in cut-and-cover tunnels and underground structures without granular fill.
A slim drainage layer behind basement slabs and walls keeps structures dry and reduces upward water pressure.
Vertical geocomposites collect seepage water from bridge abutment backfill, protecting structural integrity over the design life.
Secudrain® beneath capping geomembranes manages leachate and gas pressure on steep landfill closure slopes.
Geocomposite drainage systems must perform reliably during installation and under long-term service loads. Secudrain® products are engineered for robustness during placement and maintain drainage performance under the compressive stresses found in deep retaining wall and tunnel applications.
Practical site advantages:
In many structural drainage projects, groundwater carries fine soil particles. If fines enter and clog the drainage layer, the system fails silently over time. Secudrain® integrates a filter-stable Secutex® nonwoven directly bonded to the drainage core, preventing fine migration while maintaining in-plane flow capacity.
Key principle: the filter nonwoven must retain soil fines (filtration) while remaining highly permeable to water. Secudrain® nonwoven has an apparent opening size of 0.07 mm to 0.20 mm and water permeability 100 times higher than surrounding soil.
Secudrain® WD series: drainage core with single-face filter nonwoven. Backfill is uniformly graded with minimal fines.
Key benefit:
Single function; thinner profile; lower cost for clean aggregate backfill situations.
Secudrain® standard: drainage core encapsulated between two filter-stable nonwoven layers. Backfill contains fines or fine migration from surrounding soil is expected.
Key benefit:
One product provides both drainage and filtration - no separate filter layer required.
Secudrain® combined with Carbofol® geomembrane on steep slopes and landfill capping. Secudrain® acts as drainage and protection layer above the membrane.
Key benefit:
Geocomposite protects waterproofing membrane from puncture; drains leachate or gas.
Correct product selection depends on the structural application, compressive stress regime, filtration requirement and chemical environment. The decision guide below covers six criteria to help specifiers select the right Secudrain® type.
| Criterion | Secudrain® WD one-sided nonwoven | Secudrain® WD both sided nonwoven |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive stress | Low to medium (less than 100 kPa) | Low to medium (less than 200 kPa) |
| Fine migration risk | Low: coarse, clean backfill | Medium to high: fines in backfill |
| Structural application | Shallow basements (less than 5 m depth), drainage channels | Retaining walls, bridge abutments, tunnel linings |
| Filter nonwoven | Single face (structure side) | Both faces (structure and soil side) |
| Alkali resistance | Standard PP nonwoven | Standard PP nonwoven |
| Flow capacity at 100 kPa | Approx. 0,8 l/m*s | Approx. 1 l/m*s |
Reliable design values for 100-year service life
Secudrain® is designed to EN ISO 12958 for in-plane flow capacity and EN ISO 9863-1 for thickness under load. Filter stability is assessed per EBGEO and DIN 4095. Long-term drainage capacity figures are derived from laboratory creep tests, giving planners reliable design values for 100-year service life calculations.
Eliminating aggregate reduces cost and programme
Eliminating 300–600 mm of granular drainage aggregate reduces material cost, transport cost and construction programme. The system is compliant with BS 8102 (UK) and EBGEO (Germany), supporting regulatory sign-off.
Faster installation cycle - no aggregate batching
Secudrain® arrives on site in rolls of 3.80 m x 50 m. It is unrolled directly against the structure face, pinned, and backfilled in a single operation. There is no aggregate batching, no separate filter layer placement and no granular material quality-control sampling. Site teams report faster cycle times and lower waste volumes on site.
Structural drainage with geosynthetics describes the use of factory-manufactured geocomposite products to collect and discharge groundwater and seepage water from civil engineering structures. A geocomposite drainage system consists of a three-dimensional drainage core encapsulated within filter-stable geotextile nonwoven layers. It replaces conventional granular drainage aggregate behind retaining walls, tunnel linings and basement structures, delivering the same drainage function in a fraction of the material thickness.
Selection depends on three factors: the compressive stress at the drainage layer (related to structure depth), the grading of the backfill material (filtration requirement) and the chemical environment (alkali resistance). For shallow structures with clean granular backfill, the WD series is appropriate. Use the digital SolutionFinder or contact Naue’s sales team with your project depth, ground conditions and loading to receive a specific product recommendation.
In Germany, design follows EBGEO and DIN 4095. In the United Kingdom, BS 8102 covers waterproofing of below-ground structures and references geosynthetic drainage layers. In-plane flow capacity is measured to EN ISO 12958. Thickness under load is measured to EN ISO 9863-1. Tensile properties of the filter nonwoven are tested to EN ISO 10319. Naue provides product-specific long-term design values derived from laboratory creep tests to these standards.
Conventional granular drainage layers behind retaining walls typically require 300–600 mm of graded aggregate plus a separate filter geotextile. Replacing this with Secudrain® (6–25 mm thick) eliminates up to 90 % of drainage layer material volume. Savings include reduced aggregate purchase, reduced haulage, lower crane time and a shorter construction programme. Contact Naue’s Technical Sales for a project-specific cost comparison.
The Secudrain® roll is positioned at the base of the wall face with the filter nonwoven facing the backfill soil. The geocomposite is unrolled upward against the wall and pinned or bonded at overlaps. At the base, the drainage geocomposite connects to a perforated collection pipe at formation level. Backfilling proceeds directly over the Secudrain® using standard compaction equipment. No aggregate batching or separate filter layer placement is required.
Yes. Secudrain® WAS 7 is qualified to the Testing Conditions for Geosynthetics of the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA) dated 2026. The qualification covers alkali resistance, hydraulic performance and filter stability requirements for railway drainage applications. For other national railway authorities, contact Naue’s Technical Sales for the applicable product qualification documentation
Long-term drainage capacity is determined through EN ISO 12958 creep testing, in which the geocomposite is held under sustained compressive load for extended test periods. The resulting reduction in in-plane flow capacity over time is quantified and applied as a reduction factor to derive long-term design values. Naue provides product-specific long-term design values for Secudrain® based on these laboratory tests, enabling designers to verify compliance with required drainage capacity over a 100-year design life.
Yes. Secudrain® is used beneath geomembrane capping systems on landfill closure slopes to manage leachate and gas pressure in the capping layer. On steep slopes, the Secudrain® acts as both drainage and protection layer, shielding the geomembrane from puncture damage caused by overlying cover soil. Carbofol® geomembranes are typically specified below the Secudrain® drainage composite. The system is designed in accordance with EBGEO drainage requirements for landfill applications.
Geosynthetic drainage systems for civil engineering structures are designed against recognised standards. The designer verifies that the long-term in-plane flow capacity of the chosen geocomposite exceeds the required drainage flow at the design compressive stress. Naue provides product-specific long-term design values derived from EN ISO 12958 creep testing.
The following system benefits come directly from how the Naue products work within the layer structure:
