A project developed at Ondokuz Mayıs University’s (OMU) Faculty of Engineering has been selected for funding under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A Rapid Support Programme.

The project, titled “Development of Domestic Hemp-Based Composite Geotextiles: The Role of Alkali Pretreatment and Bitumen Coating,” is led by Dr. Utku Köktan, a research assistant in the Division of Geotechnical Engineering within the Department of Civil Engineering.

The research team also includes Prof. Dr. Ufuk Kırbaş and Research Assistant Aytuğ Kumandaş from the Division of Transportation Engineering, together with Dr. Muzaffer Kerem Ertek, a research assistant in the Division of Geotechnical Engineering.

The project aims to develop an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional geotextiles, which are generally manufactured from synthetic fibres and may eventually break down into microplastics, causing significant environmental damage.

As part of the study, hemp fibres will be coated with bitumen to produce a composite geotextile. The optimum alkali pretreatment conditions required to improve the material’s mechanical properties will be determined using Response Surface Methodology.

Geotextiles are widely used in civil engineering applications. The findings are expected to provide a competitive, sustainable alternative with a lower carbon footprint to synthetic geotextiles, which are associated with high carbon emissions and environmental risks.

The project also aims to establish a scientific foundation for the industrial use of domestically cultivated hemp varieties in Türkiye.