Measuring Inherent Load-Extension Properties of Geotextiles for Design of Reinforced Structures

Existing test methods for measuring the load-extension properties, including the stiffness and the ultimate strength, of geotextiles as they are subjected to confining pressures are reviewed and critically evaluated. In addition, a new test method which surmounts the drawbacks of the existing methods is presented. The new method has three distinct characteristics: (1) it is an “element” test, thus the load-extension properties determined from the test are the inherent properties of the geotextile; (2) the test measures the confined stiffness and strength of geotextiles without inducing soil-geotextile interface adhesion, thereby simulating the predominant operational condition in typical geotextile-reinforced soil structures; and (3) the stiffness and strength obtained from the test are conservative values if soil-geotextile interface slippage does occur in a reinforced structure. The new test method offers a unified and more rational method for determining the load-extension properties of geotextiles in the design and specification of geotextile-reinforced soil structures.