GEOSYNTHETICS ENGINEERING: IN

THEORY AND PRACTICE

Prof. J. N. Mandal

Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,

Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Module - 3
LECTURE- 10
Geosynthetic properties and test methods

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 OUTLINE

Introduction
Properties of geosynthetics
Physical properties
Mechanical properties
Hydraulic properties
Endurance properties
Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) properties and test
methods
Tensile strength of Nano material
Ultimate versus allowable geosynthetics properties

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Geosynthetic properties and test methods

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

When to test geosynthetics?

Firstly for any project the design engineers must check the
required specifications of geosynthetic materials. Without
knowing proper specifications, it is very difficult to select the
correct geosynthetic for any specific project.
It is needed to conduct tests on geosynthetics from an
independent laboratory.
Generally, test results are supplied from manufacturer data
sheet. These data sheets provide minimum average roll values
(MARV) for quality control of geosynthetics.
Considering environmental impact, geosynthetics should be
collected from the project site and sent to geosynthetic
laboratory for testing of their different properties.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Main strong reasons for exploring this exciting new
engineering construction material in civil engineering are
as follows:
Excellent stress-strain behavior
Good flexibility
Excellent filtration characteristics
High water permeability
Excellent mechanical properties
Can be welded together
Does not form by-products
High resistance to climate condition
High resistance to chemical and biological attack
Chemically ultraviolet stabilized
Time, cost, rapid construction, environment friendly,
sustainability and durability
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Tests on geosynthetics are conducted in two different ways:

A) Index tests or in-isolation tests: Tests are performed only

on geosynthetics itself

B) Performance tests: Tests are performed along with site-

specific soil.

PROPERTIES OF GEOSYNTHETICS
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Hydraulic Properties
Endurance Properties
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Physical Properties

Mass per unit area (Weight)

Thickness

Specific gravity

Stiffness or flexural rigidity or flexural stiffness

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Mass per unit area (ASTM D5261)
Five test specimens are to be weighed in a weighing
machine (accuracy of 0.01 g) and average value is recorded.
Test samples are of size 100 mm 100 mm
Unit is expressed as g/m2
The cost of geotextile is directly related to the weight of
geotextile.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Thickness (ASTM D5199)

Geotextiles exhibit different thickness according to

different pressures.

The thickness is measured to an accuracy of 0.02 mm

under a specified pressure of 2.0 kPa.

Sample size is 200 mm 200 mm. The thickness is

generally in the range of 0.25 to 8.5 mm.

The thickness of geogrids and geomembranes are

measured under a normal stress of 20 kPa.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Thickness measurement of geotextile
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Specific gravity (ASTM D 792 or D1505)

Specific gravity can be defined as ratio of the unit weight of

material to the unit weight of distilled water at 4C.
Specific gravity of different geosynthetic materials

Materials Sp. Gravity

Polypropylene (PP) 0.91
Polyethylene (PE) 0.9 to 0.96
Polyester (PET) 1.22 to 1.38
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 1.69
Nylon 1.05 to 1.14
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Stiffness or flexural rigidity or flexural stiffness
(ASTM D1388)
The geotextile specimen is a 25 mm wide strip.
The geotextile is placed along the length of a horizontal
plane and bends gravitationally under its own weight on a
inclined plane making an angle of 41.5 degree with the
horizontal.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Stiffness of the geotextile = (l/2)3 x W

l = length of overhang geotextile and bending length = l/2

(cm), w = mass per unit area (mg/cm2)

The unit of stiffness is mg-cm.

The minimum stiffness of geotextile depends on the various

degree of required workability (Haliburton et al., 1980)

The property is important in field workability requirements

for installation of geotextile.

If the soil is very poor or California bearing ratio value is

very less, the stiffness of geotextile required is very high.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Mechanical Properties

Compressibility
Tensile strength test of geosynthetics
Burst strength test
Puncture Resistance Test
Penetration resistance test (drop test)/ drop cone
(impact strength)/ tear (impact) resistance
Tensile behavior of geogrid
Tensile strength of Gabions
Direct shear test
Pullout or anchorage resistance
Tensile strength of geomembrane
Tear resistance of Geomembrane

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Compressibility
Compressibility indicates the reduction in thickness under
applied pressure. Compressibility of geotextile depends on its
thickness and mass per unit area.

As the pressure increases, thickness of non-woven needle-

punched (NW-NP) and resin bonded geotextiles gets reduced
significantly and accordingly, the transmissivity gets reduced.

Compressibility of woven and non-woven heat bonded

geotextile (NW-HB) is low.

Compressibility of nonwoven needle-punched geotextile

plays a very important role as most of the time we use these
type of geotextiles to pass the liquid along their plane.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Variation in thickness of geosynthetics with change in
pressure

It is clearly observed that nonwoven needle punched

geosynthetics are more compressible.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Tensile strength

Wide width tensile strength

(ASTM D4595 and ISO 10319)
Very wide width tensile strength test
Narrow strip tensile strength (ASTM D4751)
Sewn seam strength of geotextile
(ASTM D4884 and ISO 13426)
Grab tensile strength (ASTM D4632)
Trapezoidal tear strength test

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Wide width tensile strength (ASTM D4595)

Nonwoven geotextiles Woven jute geotextiles

Test result on a thermally bonded nonwoven geotextile

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 The machine strain rate is 10 3 %.

The reason for the necessity of wide-width specimens is

that geotextiles (particularly non-woven) achieve high
poisons ratio value from narrow strip test.

Tensile strength of geotextile (Tgeotextile) can be expressed

as force per unit width.

Tgeotextile = Fb/ W (kN/m)

Fb = Observed breaking force (kN), and

W = Specimen width (meter)

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Very wide width tensile strength test

For design purpose, the very wide width tensile test is not
recommended.

Size of sample for very wide width test

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Narrow strip tensile strength (ASTM D 1682)

Strain rate = 300 mm/ min

Tensile strength appears

low compared to wide width
tensile strength test.

Not recommended as
design value.

Size of test sample with the

test assembly
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Tensile modulus:

Different tensile modulus from typical stress-strain curves

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Tensile strength vs. strain curves for different geotextiles

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Case 1:

For Sample - 1,
Maximum tensile stress, Tmax = 30 kN/m
Maximum strain = g =45%
Initial tangent modulus (E) = Initial slope of the curve
= 12/0.08 = 150 kN/m
Toughness, TU = Tmax g = 1/2 30 0.45 = 6.75 kN/m

Case 2:

For sample - 2,
Initial tangent modulus (E) = 8/ 0.50 = 16 kN/m
Offset modulus = 20/ (0.31-0.20) = 181.8 kN/m
Secant modulus at 40% strain, E40 = 34/ 0.40 = 85 kN/m

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Sewn seam strength of geotextile (ASTM D4884 and
ISO 13426)

Size of test sample for sewn seam strength

Strain rate =10 3 %/ min, Unit in kN/m

(After Diaz, 1985) Butterfly seam is recommended for sewing

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
The seam strength efficiency can be expressed as,

SE = (Tseam / Tg) x100 %

Where,

Tseam = wide width seam strength (ASTM D 4884), and

Tg = wide width geosynthetic strength without seam

(ASTM D 4595)

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Grab Tensile Test (ASTM D 1682)

Grab tensile test specimen Laboratory Grab tensile test

The test relies on filament interaction in geotextile. For
nonwoven geotextile, the effects are more than woven
geotextile. The grab tensile test is reported in kN, not in kN/m.
As the sample is partially clamped, stress is not propagated
in entire width of the sample. It is an unusual test and widely
misused.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Analytical analysis of grab tensile strength:

Grab tensile strength is required to design the geotextiles

for separation. When pressure is applied to the upper
stone, it spreads the two lower stones laterally. As a result,
tension is mobilized in the geotextile. It is analogous to the
grab tensile strength test.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 D = Diameter of stone
D D D
li= Initial length of geotextile = 2 2 2
D
lf = final length of geotextile = D2
2

Without any stone breakage or slippage, maximum strain in

geotextile can be expressed as,
D D D D
D 2
l f li 2 2 2 2 1
100 33 %
li 3D 3
2

Treqd = Ap (Dv)2 (Giroud,1984)

Treqd = required grab strength, Ap = applied pressure,

Dv = maximum void diameter = 0.33Da,
Da = average stone diameter
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Example:

Tire inflation pressure = 650 kPa. Average stone diameter =

50 mm. Assume the geotextile is placed beneath stone base
course. Calculate required grab tensile strength of the
geotextile. Assume 50 % of total ultimate grab strain will
mobilize.

Solution:
We know that total ultimate grab strain = 33%.

So, the mobilized grab strain = 0.33 x 0.5 = 0.165

Hence, Treqd = 650 (0.33 0.05)2 0.165 = 29.2 Newton

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Trapezoidal tear strength test
(ASTM D4533 and ISO 13434)

Trapezoidal tear strength

is measured in N.

This test is done to tear the test specimen from the point of
incision.

Tear strength is important when the geosynthetic is

damaged.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Burst strength test

Unit in kN/m2

(a) Mullen burst

(ASTM D 3786)

(b) Ball burst

(ASTM D 751)

(c) CBR burst

(DIN 54307 E)

Different types of burst strength test

apparatus
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Analytical analysis of burst strength test:
Burst strength is required to design the geotextiles for
separation. The geotextile may burst due to the applied
upward load.

Field model for burst resistance (Geotextile being forced up

into voids of stone base due to traffic tire loads)

Laboratory simulation

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Theoretically, from the field concept Giroud (1984) developed
a formula for required geotextile burst strength (Treqd).

1
Treqd Pg D v g
2

Strain in geotextile (g) depends on width of void (wv) and

deformation of the void (zv).

1 2z v wv
g
4 wv 2z v
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Mullen burst test can be analogous to the field conditions,

Experimental model set up for

burst strength in laboratory

Geotextile is pushed upward and it forms hemispherical shape

as well as fails due to radial tension. So, the ultimate strength
(Tult) of geotextile can be written as,

1 Pb = Burst strength,
Tult Pb D b g Db = Diameter of burst equipment 30 mm,
2
g = Strain in geotextile
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Tult
Tallowable
Cumulative reduction factor (C.R.F)

Tallow Pb D b
F.S.
Treqd (C.R.F.)Pg D v

If Dv = 0.33 Da, Db = 30 mm, C.R.F. = 1.5

Pb 30 60.6 Pb
F.S.
(1.5)Pg (0.33Da ) Pg Da

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Design chart for burst analysis of geotextile considering
reduction factor = 1.5 and factor of safety = 2.0

The design chart reveals that size of stone aggregate

possess a significant impact on the burst strength of geotextile.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Example :

Let, tire inflation pressure (Pt) = Pg = 650 kPa and maximum

size of stone = 60 mm. Determine the required burst
strength of geotextile using C.R.F = 1.5 and F.S. = 2.0.

Solution:

We know, for C.R.F. = 1.5,

60.6 Pb F.S Pg D a 2 650 60

FS Pb 1287 kPa
Pg Da 60.6 60.6

So, the required burst resistance is 1287 kPa.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Please let us hear from you

Any question?

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Prof. J. N. Mandal
Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,
Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay