Effect on the mechanical behaviour of geosynthetics of the installation damage - initial results

Abstract

ln this work the effect of the installation procedures of geosynthetics on their mechanical behaviour is shown. First, a description of how the damage during installation can occur is presented, including the procedures that can be used to minimise the consequences of the damage due to the installation of geosynthetics in real construction sites. The test program, still going on, is presented and includes two different procedures of inducing the damage in geosynthetic samples: laboratory simulations and installation of the geosynthetics in temporary embankments. The initial results of the test program referring to the undamaged samples and to the damaged samples using the laboratory simulation are presented: tensile test results regarding all the geosynthetics tested and creep rupture test results of two geosynthetics. The evaluation of the effect of the installation damage on the long term behaviour of geosynthetics obtained from the experimental study and using the standard approach is compared. The main conclusions of this work are also presented.