ABSTRACT
Two nonwoven geotextile tubes were installed at the Bela Vista Water Treatment Plant in Nova Odessa, Sao Paulo, Brazil, to receive sludge from the decanters monthly washing. The first geotextile tube had its filling cycles performed with fresh sludge, and the second, with the addition of flocculant polymer. The tubes were monitored during the filling and emptying cycles, and in the consolidation period, obtaining some hydraulic and mechanical characteristics. For hydraulics characteristics, the performance improvement was evaluated by applying flocculant polymer concerning the sludge dewatering and evolution of the solids content. Concerning the mechanical characteristics, the strains mobilized in the nonwoven geotextile were obtained and discussed.
