Tensile behaviour of geotextiles under degradation agents

Abstract

ln this work the durability of geosynthetics is studied based on the tensile behaviour of these materials. Three polipropylene nonwoven spunbounded long filament geotextiles of the same producer, but with different unit weight were selected for the study. These geotextiles were submitted for periods of 5, 15 and 30 weeks to the action of the following agents of degradation: 1) natural weathering;

2) high temperatures; 3) urban solid waste leachate; 4) acid solution; 5) alkaline solution; 6) sodium chloride solution.

The tensile strength and the the elongation at failure were defined, for each degradation agent, at the end of each period of exposure and the results are compared with the values of the same parameters of the virgin sample.

ln this work materials and methodologies of analysis are described, the obtained results are analysed and the main conclusions are put forward.