Test Methods and Specifications

Cover of Subsoil Drainage
Subsoil Drainage
  • Publication no: ATS-2255-25
  • Published: 24 January 2025
  • Edition: 1.0

Austroads Technical Specification ATS 2255 sets out the requirements for the construction of the following types of subsoil drainage systems:

  1. ‘Trench Drains’, which comprise of a trench which is backfilled with Filter Material (either permeable aggregate or No-fines Concrete). Usually, the trench is lined with geotextile fabric and a Strip Filter Drain or perforated drainage pipe is placed in the Filter Material.
  2. ‘Interface Drains’, which are Trench Drains used to drain the interface between pavements with different structures. The interface may be in a transverse or longitudinal orientation.
  3. ‘Edge Drains’ which remove water in rigid pavements from the interface between the base and subbase.
  4. ‘Intra-pavement Drains’ which are constructed under a pavement layer to remove water from the pavement layers, typically on steep grades and sag curves.
  5. Proprietary sheet drainage systems placed against a structure to prevent the build-up of hydraulic pressure in the backfill.

This technical specification can also be downloaded as a Word document.

  • 1. Scope
  • 2. Referenced Documents
  • 3. Definitions
  • 4. Quality System Requirements
  • 5. Materials
    • General
    • Aggregate Filter Material
  • 6. Construction
    • General
    • Handling of Geotextiles and Subsoil Drainage Pipe
    • Excavation of Trenches
    • Placement of Geotextile, Subsoil Drainage Pipe and Filter Material
    • Installation Trial
  • 7. Outlets and Cleanouts
    • General
    • Outlets at Stormwater Drainage Structures
    • Outlets at Batters
    • Access Points for Flushing
    • Flushing and Inspection of Subsoil Drainage Pipe
  • 8. Sheet Subsoil Drainage Systems
  • 9. Conformity
    • Geometrics
    • Reporting
  • Annexure A: Summary of Hold Points, Witness Points and Records
  • Amendment Record