RECOMMENDED ATMOSPHERE FOR GEOTEXTILE TESTING

Currently, geotextile test methods give very conservative default atmospheres for conditioning and testing. Such conservatism is based upon a carryover from the textile industry. However, for the most common polymers currently used in geotextiles, it is necessary to question the need for such conservative atmospheric environments. An experiments was set up for the purpose of evaluating the sensitivity of polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET) yarns, and geotextiles to various temperatures and humidities. Variations in tensile strength and elongation were checked over a temperature range of 15 deg C to 35 deg C and a relative humidity range of 30% to 70%. PP tape yarn and PET continuous filament yarn were tested at 12 in./min, with a gauge length of 10 in. A PP nonwoven was tested as a 1-in. strip in the machine direction only. Again a 12-in./min speed was used and a 3-in. gauge length was employed. Results clearly showed that geotextiles or the yarns that constitute them are not sensitive to temperature or humidity changes. This was amplified by the fact that the average standard deviations of the PP nonwoven, PP tape yarns, and PET yarn for strength were 2.4, 0.7, and 0.3, indicating that most of the scatter in the data could be accounted for by specimen-to-specimen variation. It is concluded that the results provide justification for relaxing the present atmospheric testing conditions for PP and PET fabrics in most geotextile laboratories.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08824983
• Corporate Authors:

  Industrial Fabrics Association International

  345 Cedar Building, Suite 450
  St Paul, MN  United States  55101-1088
• Authors:
  • Baker, T
  • Koerner, G
• Publication Date: 2000-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 16-17
• Serial:
  • Geotechnical Fabrics Report
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Industrial Fabrics Association International
  • ISSN: 0882-4983

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Atmosphere; Environment; Geotextiles; Humidity; Laboratory tests; Length; Mechanical tests; Nonwoven materials; Polyester resins; Polypropylene; Recommendations; Temperature; Tensile strength; Tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Filament yarn; Yarn
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Research; I35: Miscellaneous Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00798421
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 15 2000 12:00AM