Review and prospects of geotextiles: role of babassu fibers

With the increase of global environmental changes and intensive anthropogenic activities, it is extremely important to maintain and improve soil function. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. Different structures and forms of geotextiles are available to geotechnical engineers. Geotextiles in the form of woven and nonwoven structures are mostly used in various geo-engineering applications. This review focus on how the use of geotextiles have grown during the last decades and the importance of a particular material to be base of geotextiles, babassu (Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng, Arecaceae)) that is a palm with socioeconomic and ecologic importance found in humid tropical areas in Brazil.