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Buyer's Guide · Geogrid
Geogrid 101: Uniaxial vs. Biaxial, and How to Choose
A geogrid is an open grid of high-strength ribs that reinforces soil — either by adding tensile strength in the direction of pull, or by interlocking with aggregate to lock it in place.
The first question to answer is the one the Spec Finder asks: which way does the load act? That's the difference between uniaxial and biaxial.
Unlike a geotextile — which separates, filters, and drains — a geogrid does structural work: it carries tension and confines aggregate. Almost every job points to one of two grid types.
Uniaxial grid layered into the soil mass behind a wall.
A geogrid reinforces soil two ways. Its ribs carry tension, so a reinforced soil mass holds together and resists pulling apart — that's what stabilizes a wall or slope. And its open apertures let aggregate strike through and interlock, confining the stone so it can't shove sideways under a wheel load — that's what stabilizes a road base. Either way the grid spreads loads, reduces movement and rutting, and often lets you build with less aggregate. Over soft, wet, or fine soils, a geogrid is frequently paired with a separation geotextile underneath so the subgrade and base don't mix.
03Uniaxial: Walls, Slopes & MSE
When a retaining wall or steepened slope holds back a soil mass, the reinforcement only needs to resist tension in one direction — straight back into the fill. That's a uniaxial job. The Miragrid 3XT and the rest of the XT series are polymer-coated woven polyester grids engineered for exactly this: high long-term design strength (LTDS), excellent creep resistance, and connection geometry that ties into segmental wall blocks. The series scales from 3XT up through 24XT, with higher numbers delivering more tensile capacity for taller walls and heavier loads — your wall designer specifies the grade and the layer spacing based on height and surcharge.
04Biaxial: Roads, Lots & Soft Subgrade
Biaxial apertures interlock and confine the base aggregate.
When the load is a wheel rolling across a surface, it pushes the base in every direction — so the grid needs strength both ways. Tensar BX biaxial geogrids have stiff rectangular apertures that let crushed stone strike through and lock in place, creating a mechanically stabilized layer that spreads loads, resists rutting, and lets you cut base thickness over weak subgrade. The Tensar BX1100 is the lighter grade for moderate stabilization, while the Tensar BX1200 is the heavier, most-specified grade for tougher subgrades and heavier traffic — both common under parking lots, access roads, and working platforms.
05Geogrid and Geotextile Often Work Together
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They do different jobs, so on soft, wet, or fine-grained soils they're frequently used as a pair: a separation geotextile keeps the mud and the clean base from mixing, while the geogrid on top reinforces and confines the aggregate. If your subgrade is poor, plan for both rather than asking one product to do everything.
06Reading the Spec
Geogrids are specified by tensile strength at a given strain — and for walls and slopes, by long-term design strength (LTDS), which accounts for creep, installation damage, and durability over the structure's life. For stabilization, what matters most is rib and junction stiffness and how the aperture matches your aggregate. On engineered walls the grade and spacing come from the wall design, so follow it rather than substituting by feel. Miragrid is made in Georgia and can meet Build America / Buy America requirements when noted at checkout, and both Miragrid and Tensar are widely accepted on DOT projects — confirm any required DOT type against the spec sheet.
07Quick Selection Checklist
1
Which way does the load act? One direction (wall or slope) → uniaxial; spread across a plane (road or lot subgrade) → biaxial
2
Uniaxial: match the Miragrid XT grade to wall height, loads, and the designer's required long-term design strength (LTDS)
3
Biaxial: match the Tensar BX grade to your subgrade and traffic — BX1200 for heavier stabilization, BX1100 for lighter
4
Soft, wet, or fine soils? Pair a separation geotextile under the geogrid so subgrade and base don't mix
5
Public or federal job? Note any DOT type or Build America / Buy America requirement — Miragrid is made in Georgia
Popular picks to start from: the uniaxial Miragrid 3XT for retaining walls and slopes, and the biaxial Tensar BX1100 and Tensar BX1200 for base and subgrade stabilization — all with free shipping.
Not Sure Which Grid Your Project Needs?
Use the Geogrid Spec Finder above — answer a few quick questions about your application and loads, and it points you to the right geogrid.
